Saturday Morning Gift

[goldwingtiny]

Please allow me to share this short story of kindness.
Yesterday morning (10/20/07) I took my 18 year old sons Blazer to renew the state inspection. I took it to the local Kwik Car Lube place here in Sealy, Tx where I take all of my vehicle's for this annual ritual. After checking in with the guy's there, I decided to wait outside and enjoy the beautiful morning and the light n.e. breeze that we were blessed with.

Sitting on the park bench outside was a lady that I figured was probably 15 or 20 year's my senior (I'm 46). Because she was busy rummaging through her purse, I decided against the usual conversation for the time being that I would normally strike up when in such situations. A few moment's later, she asked "Are you a fisherman or did you get a good deal on the t-shirt at a garage sale?" Well, because such t-shirt's make up about 80% my wardrobe and not remembering the exact shirt of choice for the morning, I commented, "Probably both, I have a ton of them and I love to fish." She replied "Yeah, my husband use to love fishing, too."

For the next 15 minute's or so, we enjoyed light conversation on yeah, you guessed it, FISHING.

I told her how I like to think that I use fishing to keep my 13 & 18 year old son's attitude's in-check. I told her that for the most part, my 18 year old had a really good attitude, with the exception of "Friday Night Light's" and strapping on a helmet. She laughed when I told her he grows horn's and a red pointed tail when he walks onto a football field. I could only smile as she told me that she could always tell where her husband was on Saturday morning's when she would wake to find him gone by doing a quik inventory of his fishing pole's.

Because her vehicle was finished before mine and she had already gone inside to pay for sevice's rendered, I thought our visit was over. As I stood at the counter paying for the inspection, the entrance door behind me opened and I heard her voice say "Mr. Fisherman, I have something to give you once you finish your business in there." I finished said business and walked outside were I found her standing at the rear of her car with the trunk opened. As I walked up to her, she reached into the trunk and pulled out a rather large worm box that turned out to be full of plastic worm's. Before I could get a really good grip on the worm box, she reached back into the trunk and pulled out a tackle box that also turned out to be full and handed it to me. As I stood there "Dumb Founded" to say the least, she said that she's had "this stuff" riding around back here for quite some time and had no idea what to do with it. Once all of (or most of) my senses came back to me, I suggested that she should use "this stuff" herself. She said that she had absolutly no interest in fishing and that it was more important to find someone who would get good use out of these item's.

My first thought of all this was refusal but, when I noticed the really far away gleeming look in her eye's, and the absolute warmest of smile's on her face, refusal was simply out of the question. All I could do was thank her and assure that "this stuff" would get plenty of use from me and the boy's. She then thanked me for accepting and drove off.

Later, I shared my story and showed my son's and wife (whom is now my ex) "this stuff." The really good part of all of this is the fact that both of my son's commented on how it was the gift of giving and not the content's of each box that made the morning so special. Also, the "ex" told me that she thinks that I helped this lady find closure and she also thanked me.

In closing, I would like to say that I can only pray that one or both of my son's are with me in the event that I ever see this lady again!

[Backlash]

Good stuff. Thanks for sharing.

[DKR]

Great story.

[DENNIS BOWERS]

Super Good Story,You never know what a smile or kind word can mean to someone!!

[Baxter1]

Nice story,thanks for sharing.

[father of 4]

Great story. Thanks

[radtexan]

Nice story Goldwing !!!!!!

[jstlovtofish]

It sure is nice to read a story about true human kindness. It's amazing how things happen. Thanks for sharing this with us.

[luvjign]

Excellent story, Gold........it's good to read some wholesome stuff like that on here

[hpcrappieman]

Great story!!! ya know...maybe she was your angel??? we never know!!! God Bless :-)