Kindness

So there's this guy named Dave that saved me today. Here's the story.

After I got Holly off to kindergarten and tidied up the house, I bundled Emmy up for the cold outside and set out to do some errands. I got about a half mile down the road and realized I'd left my cell phone charging on the counter top. I didn't turn around because the clock was ticking and I had to finish my tasks before I picked up the kids from school. Later, errands finished, with 5 minutes before the school bell was to ring, I dropped off some papers at the Relief Society president's house. My friend Shauna was there in the driveway, probably because the R.S. Prez happens to be her mom. Shauna drove off, I visited with Prez. Heidi for a minute, and prepared to leave. Just as I was to get in the car, Heidi pointed out a flat tire on the rear driver's side. Great. I had no phone and the school bell was about to ring. Heidi called Shauna, who came back and followed me to the nearby gas station.

I knew this gas station had an air compressor there. I didn't know that the gas station actually has an out of order air compressor. By the time I found this out, the school bell had long since rung and my kiddos were freezing outside while they waited for me. I felt so helpless without a phone and without wheels. Thankfully Shauna was there and went and picked up my kids and my carpool kids. I went into the gas station to ask about the air compressor. It was definitely broken, the cashier told me. I was in a pickle. Of his own accord, the cashier tried to call his mom who he said lived really close, to have her bring over an air compressor. She wasn't home. But holy cow, how nice was he?! I bought a drink and a treat for Emmy, and prepared to wait 45 minutes for Greg to leave work and bring me our air compressor. I toyed with the idea of trying to put the spare tire on, but it was 39 degrees outside and I wasn't sure I even knew how to do all that anyway.

The owner of the station walked in. The cashier explained my predicament and after visiting with me, the owner, Dave, a perfect stranger that reminds me of my Uncle Bill, offered to take me home to get my air compressor out of the garage. I hesitated for a number of reasons, I'm sure you can imagine. Then Dave said, "You don't have to, but I can go next door and get a girl in the salon or the gym to come with us so, you know, so, well, just because. Then you can get your tire filled and get to Big-O faster." A thoughtful gesture on top of an extremely kind and generous offer. He went next door and got a stylist, McKenzie, to ride with us. I climbed into the backseat of his pickup, buckled Emmy and her giant bag of Nibs in, and off we went.

In a five minute drive, you can only learn limited information about a person. I learned that Dave, the perfect stranger who reminds me of my Uncle Bill, has a son deployed in Kuwait. His son has a family. Dave is going to finish his basement so the son and family can move in when their lease is up. Dave learned that my name is Biffy, short for Elizabeth, and I've been called that my whole life and have heard all the strange reactions possible. And Dave told me, after knowing me for about nine minutes, that even though it's a different name, Biffy fits me just right. I learned that McKenzie the stylist grew up about five miles away from my house but everything we passed was new territory to her. Dave learned that I can lift an air compressor just fine, that I have a cute bunch of kids, and that my tire filled up enough to get me to the tire store. With a bit of small talk, we all learned a bit of information about each other. But the best thing I learned is that the kindness of strangers still exists.

Thanks, Dave.