(A customer needs a suspension part replaced under warranty. The repair requires a wheel alignment but we have all been told that warranty will not pay for that and so we have told a customer that they will be responsible for that cost. As this is a relatively new car, they are understandably upset. However, they agree and we do the repair. When doing the paperwork, I find an op code under the warranty that allows us to claim for the wheel alignment after all.)

Me: “We finished your repair and I found an op code we didn’t know about that allows us to claim your alignment, so there is no cost today.”

Customer: “Oh, you are so wonderful! You know, we were thinking that we would never bring our car back here or buy [Brand] car again but this will make my husband so much happier to know. How did you find out you could cover it?”

Me: “Oh, I just did some digging around our online codes list and found it buried in the list.”

Customer: “This means so much! We owe you something special. Do you like chocolates?”

Me: “Oh, that is sweet but it was no big deal. And I have a long list of weird food sensitivities so buying food for me is a nightmare. I was just happy to find this so we can stop charging people for alignments when we do warranty work.”

(A week later, both customers come in holding a white orchid in a pot.)

Customers: “We just wanted you to know that we are really grateful you found a way to cover the alignment and we wanted you to have something special, even if we couldn’t buy you chocolates.”

Me: “Thank you so much! That is such a perfect gift! I have always thought these were the prettiest, showiest flowers!”

(I still have that potted flower 1.5 years later and though I couldn’t keep alive a few other orchids I have bought since, it is still alive and well. I think it is the only gift I have ever received from a customer at that job and it is very special to me. Every time they come in, they ask if it is still alive and are thrilled to know that it is.)

(It is around 1970. A nicely dressed elderly lady gets on the bus and puts in a dime (the senior citizen fare), then opens her wallet to get her ID.)

Driver: “Oh, ma’am, you don’t need to show your ID!”

Lady: “I may be 81, young man, but I still have my pride!”

Driver: “No, ma’am, you don’t look that age, but you do look honest!”

(She smiled and I think everyone on the bus did, too. I gave the driver a grin as I got off.)

This story is part of the Awesome Old People roundup! This is the last story in the roundup, but we have plenty of others you might enjoy!

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(It’s my first visit to New York and the only place I can afford to stay is a really tatty motel in New Jersey beside a major road. I’m from the UK where most places are walkable and most bus stops clearly marked, so am very confused as I try to discover where to catch a bus back into the city. I go into a donut shop but no one will answer when I try to ask them. I’m 19 and the area is really rough, so I’m pretty worried. I head next door to a garage where I figure that people will need to get away by public transport sometimes.)

Me: “Excuse me, can anyone tell me where I can catch the bus into New York?”

Mechanic: “You’re catching the bus?”

Mechanic #2: “You okay, kid?”

Man In Queue: “There’s a stop outside [Store], isn’t there? But that’s across the freeway.”

Woman Halfway Down The Queue: “I have my car booked in at 10, but I’m taking this girl to the stop first. Come on, honey.”

Mechanic: “No problem, ma’am.”

Mechanic #2: “Travel safely, kid.”

(Bemused I follow her and we drive off.)

Woman: “So, how did you get here?”

Me: “I caught the bus out yesterday. I stayed at [Motel] but it was pretty grim so I decided I’d head back to Boston this evening rather than tomorrow.”

Woman: “Hmm. I’m taking you to the train station. I’m not putting you on the bus when you are all shaken up.”

(We pull up outside a railway station.)

Me: “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

Woman: “I have kids your age. Now, do you have enough for the train ticket? Here, have a candy bar to eat on the way. You take care now.”

(That was almost 20 years ago and I haven’t forgotten the lovely lady who rescued a very confused English teenager! It is also the story of how I broke the golden rule: never get into a car with a stranger…)

(I’ve just finished and am setting off home. The road I take back home has no streetlights, is poorly maintained and has a lot of tight bends, so I wear a high-vis vest, as I’m on a moped. As I go around one particular tight bend I almost run straight into what looks like a shadow riding a bike: all black, even the bike. I pull in front of him and realise it is a young teenager cycling back home.)

Me: “Hey, buddy! Do you not have a high-vis?”

Teen: “Oh, hey! No, I don’t. Why?”

Me: “Because all I saw there was a floating shadow, mate. Hold on. I have a spare vest.”

(I dig into my bag to find my spare, realising I left it at home.)

Me: “Ah, sorry, mate. I’ve left my spare at home.”

Teen: “Thanks anyway, though.”

Me: “Hold on, mate.” *I take my own high vis off and offer it to him* “I can be seen a lot better than you can. Take mine.”

Teen: *in disbelief* “Wow, thanks, man! I’ve just been pulling into the hedges hoping cars don’t wing me!”

Me: “No worries, mate. They’ll see you now! Ride safe!

(I sped off and left him safer than he was.)

(It is a typical March, with some warm days followed by wintery sub-zero temperatures. My car is parked on the street, parallel between two other cars. The remaining snow has frozen, so now there are some ice sculptures on the street blocking the car. I’m 5’3” and pretty skinny, but nevertheless, I go to get a shovel. I start to break the ice slow but steady. Across the street there is a bakery. Two Estonian construction workers come out of the bakery to their car. One of them notices my struggle.)

Construction Worker: “Ma’am, do you need help with that?”

Me: “No, I’ve got it. I’m in no hurry.”

Construction Worker: “Neither are we. We’ve got some tools in our car. It won’t be too much trouble at all.”

Me: “Well, okay, if you insist.”

(They fetched the tools, and it took them less than two minutes to break all the ice blocking the car. I thanked them and they drove away. I really wanted to thank them properly, so I went to the bakery and asked if the construction workers come there often. The owner of the bakery said that they come every day to have a coffee and something sweet on their break. I paid for two coffees and two danish and told the owner to thank the men for me the next time they showed up.)