We’re a queer couple (I’m trans FTM) on our honeymoon, and it’s several hours’ drive from home to the national park where we have a cabin booked.

A couple miles before the park gate, my car starts to seriously struggle, and we limp up to the gate an hour before the park rangers are due to leave. They recommend a tow truck and garage and actually call for us since we have no cell signal, then try to also call the law enforcement officer to get us a ride to our cabin, only to discover the tow truck is also up there looking for his vehicle in distress.

One of the park rangers stays with us a little past closing to wait until the tow truck arrives, offering to give us a ride to our cabin in case he won’t. In the end we ride with the tow truck driver through thick fog to find the law enforcement officer’s vehicle and hitch that up as well, and the officer helps carry our luggage into the lodge for us. Later, a different park ranger gives us a ride down a no-public-access fire road all the way to where the garage is, and the mechanic’s own wife picks us up to take us to the garage itself to pick up our car.

Throughout the entire trip, everyone tells us congratulations on our wedding, treats us like a normal couple, and goes out of their way to help us get where we need to be.

Next time you’re in a national park, thank a park ranger. They are amazing people.

(When I worked in retail, I used to get the same bus home from work each day. A group of elderly women used to be on there at the same time, and I used to talk to them. After three years of retail work, I got an office job full time and gave my notice to the store I worked for. I mentioned to the ladies on the bus that I would be finishing that Friday. Friday comes, and I am pretty emotional after spending the day saying goodbye to people. I get on the bus… and find a card a wrapped present in my usual seat.)

Lady #1: “You’ve been so kind to us over the last few years. We thought the least we could do is give you a little something when you’re starting afresh.”

Me: “I don’t know what to say. Thank you; that’s so generous.”

Lady #2: “I’ll tell you what you can say. Promise never to work in retail again!”

Me: *laughing* “Deal.”

(The present was a coffee mug with the first letter of my name on it, and box of chocolates. They had gotten two of the regular drivers to write in the card as well. I hugged them all before I left the bus, and still keep in contact with all three women. That mug still has pride of place on my desk. Thank you, ladies.)

(I am in line at the DMV getting my new tags for 2015.)

Customer: “I would like to renew my driver’s license, please.”

Lady: “Sure, just let me see your card.”

(The man hands her his license and she enters some numbers into the computer.)

Lady: “Sir, your license expired in 1998. Have you been driving with it since then?”

Customer: “Wait, they expire? I though you just had to get a new picture! Well, what are you going to do, arrest me?”

(A police officer steps out of line.)

Officer: “Yes, as a matter of fact, I will arrest you for driving without a valid license.”

(The officer arrested the man and took him off to his car and drove away.)

(I work in a 24-hour service station and as such I see plenty of people lighting cigarettes at the pumps, talking on the phone while pumping, etc, but this story by far takes the cake as the most incredible lack of common sense I have ever seen in my life. It is about 8:30 in the morning and I am changing the bins in the forecourt when a truck driver approaches me.)

Truck Driver: “They’re not allowed to do that, are they?” *points to one of the pumps*

(I look over to see a man connecting jumper cables to his battery, AT THE PUMP.)

Me: “No, they’re not.” *walks over to them* “Hi, guys. I’m sorry, but you can’t try to jump start it here. You need to move it away from the pump.”

Customer: “We can’t start it to move it.”

Me: “I understand that, mate, but you need to put it in neutral and try to roll it away. If you try to jump start it here, it could make a spark and the whole place could go up.”

(At this point the customer pretty much ignores me and continues connecting the leads. Luckily by this stage the man who is kind enough to offer to use his car to jump start it is within earshot.)

Me: “I’m sorry guys, but you REALLY can’t jump start it here!”

Kind Customer: “Oh, we can’t?”

Me: “Not right next to the pump. You need to try and move it away.”

(The customers manage to roll the car away from the pump and jump start it. I just couldn’t believe the complete lack of disregard for everyone’s safety!)

(I was hit by a car while I was on my bike, and even though I am fine, my sparkling new bike was not. It looks as if it can be repaired, so I go to the store where I bought the bike. I explain what happened and that I think there is a ‘bump’ in the rear-tire.)

Owner: “Sure, it looks easy enough to fix. Let’s take it to our shop in the back. Our mechanic is there.”

(The owner takes me there, calls out to the mechanic, and leaves. The mechanic comes towards me and I notice something ‘off.’ It takes a moment, but then I realise the mechanic is blind! The mechanic takes my bike and I’m a bit worried; how can a blind person fix my bike? The mechanic tells me to return within a day. At the end of the day, I return. The mechanic takes me to my bike.)

Mechanic: “So, that bump you felt? It was in your front-tire, not the back. And your light should be fixed as well.” *I assume he’s near-blind or asked someone else* “I also fixed the chain, the protectors, and—” *continues listing things that were broken, touching everything*

Me: “Ah, sure… thanks. So, what’s the damage? How much?”

Mechanic: “How much? The owner told me this was still under warranty! So, you pay nothing!”

(My jaw dropped and I thanked him a lot. The owner was nowhere to be found. When I got on my bike, it felt like brand new! That day I learned a LOT about blind people. 10 years later, my bike needed maintenance at the tires again. Guess who fixed my bike again?)