There really are still "Good People" out there!

[Caledonia]

Here's a story - I was going through the security line in the airport at Spokane, WA when I realized I had my small Swiss Army penknife in my pocket. (I carry it because the small blade, scissors and toothpick are extremely handy.

Of course, this is a federal offense. Don't get me started. My Cross ball point pen is more dangerous than that 1" penknife.

The security officer went out of his way to quietly say "I can't mention this officially, but on occasion I've seen people give their knives to someone in the terminal. it makes more sense than giving it to us." Nice of him!

There was no one behind me in line, so I went over to the ropes, found a gent with a white beard, and handed him the knife saying "I can't take this through - enjoy it. Just clean the toothpick if you want to use it."

I then checked through the line. But as I was leaving, the gent I'd given the knife to waved at me and said "Give me a business card and I'll mail the knife to you."

I did, and a week later, he did. I mailed him back a $5 check as a thanks.

Hmm, my brother lost a fabulous old Skean dhu through customs. They checked it in the baggage, then it miraculously turned into cloud on the flight over! But, glass always half full and all - can I concur with Etienne that if you look for the bad you find it and if you look for the good you find it also. I am one of the world's recluses, hermits, unsociable yet bizarrely sociable, and a little bit "back off this is my territory" kind of people, yet still - smile and people smile back. Just watch your back when they're doing that! No really, this is a sad time when we have to discuss this. Bad night to be posting, having just had to stare in an intimidating fashion at White Van Man and his Cronies, who have just checked out our place. Now I have to lock everything up and feel intimidated all night. Why wasn't I there when they were training Lara Croft wannabees! Where's my tough gear..... Yet still smiling, in a forced upbeat kind of way

Edit: That was so negative. I know a load of people who are absolutely wonderful (mostly over 70 I have to confess) and I've had a lot of great, friendly, helpful experiences over the years, and I hope I've returned them. Probably haven't, but I'm young enough to learn.

 

[jamespowers]

Next stop Willoughby.lol lol lol
I love that episode, push,push,push..

Yep, sadly that is a bygone era. I find your exposure to good people depends where you are. [huh]

Regards,

J

 

[Matthew Dalton]

>> Anyone else have similar stories of totally unexpectedly meeting such Really Good People out of the blue? What types of places???

>> Do you & yours frequently strike up conversations like that with perfect strangers with such great results?

>> Is there a surplus or shortage of Really Good People in your town?

>> Is everyone in Michigan this cool?!

Firstly, yeah, I would agree that it's sad state when people can post about this behavior believing it to be such an oddity, I would agree with them on that too. But I do look quite hard for the good and it does come up every so often.

One example would be my last years in High School. With all of my friends graduated or having dropped out by that time, I generally just read or listened to music during breaks or free periods. A lot of the other seniors were quite good to me, which I’d never of expected. I don’t see any of them now though; I think we were just too different.

More recent examples would be an interesting chap in one of my classes in the course I’m taking now. A happy-go-lucky sort that I find people my age tends to look down upon. And a lady who gave me her bus ticket the other day, so I got home for free.

As for me, I never strike up conversations with people like that. If they speak to me first I’m happy to speak to them. I suppose I’d like to be that kind of person, but I’m quite the introvert and it’ll take some doing to work up to that.

On the manners side of it I will ask people if they need assistance carrying things in the appropriate situations, will say please and thanks, will hold open doors and give up my seat etc.

I think here there is a major shortage of “good” people. The funny thing is the favorite topic of many is how much our town sucks, how bad the people are, how they’re afraid to be in the town and things like that. Yet if you suggested how they could do their bit to make it a better place, they’d think you mad.

We happen to have a Myspace Group for our area, it has roughly 950 people in it. Only about 10 of those people actually use the forum there, and it’s only to fight with each other. I think that is saying something about us. Well, my generation anyway.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Next stop Willoughby.lol lol lol
I love that episode, push,push,push..

I actually live right next to Willoughby! Willoughby Ohio, and it's a small town stuck in the midst of all the urban sprawl of Cleveland.
Not a bad little town really, some nice art galleries and pubs, including one of my favorites, The Willoughby Brewing Co., a train maintenance building that was converted into a fine micro-brewery and resaurant.
(Some of the nicest and best looking gals in all the USA too. )

 

[jamespowers]

I actually live right next to Willoughby! Willoughby Ohio, and it's a small town stuck in the midst of all the urban sprawl of Cleveland.
Not a bad little town really, some nice art galleries and pubs, including one of my favorites, The Willoughby Brewing Co., a train maintenance building that was converted into a fine micro-brewery and resaurant.
(Some of the nicest and best looking gals in all the USA too. )

I am going to have to step into that Twilight Zone sometime if I am ever in the area.

Regards,

J

 

[FedoraGent]

It's true, the nice folks still exist

It's great to hear all these stories because for awhile I was beginning to lose any faith that there were still good people. I don't have a good story like the rest of you folks but little things recently have stuck out to me. For instance, I travel the bridges alot for my job as I have to go to customers quite a bit. Even though the company reimburses, it's still a hassle to have to fill out a web form for the expense, tape the small 1" x 1" receipt and then send it via Fedex to corporate. It's stupid for 3 bucks every so once in awhile. Well, I was in line over at the Bay Bridge with a whole bunch of folks in the morning. When I was at the toll booth, the toll taker told me that my toll had been taken care of. Apparently a few cars up, a man had decided on random acts of kindness and gave 20 bucks to the toll taker and said "This is for some of the cars behind me."

Needless to say I thought that this was kinda cool, so every so once in awhile I give a couple of bucks to the toll taker and tell them to have the third car from me be paid for. It really made me smile. One other thing that blew me away was something that I had NEVER seen a Muni worker do. Now, maybe it's because I don't ride Muni all that much but this was significant to me. I was standing in line for the ATM at the Wells Fargo on Market Street and Stockton. I noticed how the "F" train driver had stepped off of the train to help this woman off. She (the woman) looked to be a bit frail and sickly and this man totally took the time to help her. Yeah, there was a backup behind the train but to heck with them I guess he thought. She was pretty happy and strolled slowly down Market to where ever she was headed.

Sometimes it amazes me how rude and ignorant people can be towards each other but occasionally isn't it great how we can be pleasantly surprised?

Jon

 

[FedoraGent]

Social Commentary...

Hmm, my brother lost a fabulous old Skean dhu through customs. They checked it in the baggage, then it miraculously turned into cloud on the flight over! But, glass always half full and all - can I concur with Etienne that if you look for the bad you find it and if you look for the good you find it also. I am one of the world's recluses, hermits, unsociable yet bizarrely sociable, and a little bit "back off this is my territory" kind of people, yet still - smile and people smile back. Just watch your back when they're doing that! No really, this is a sad time when we have to discuss this. Bad night to be posting, having just had to stare in an intimidating fashion at White Van Man and his Cronies, who have just checked out our place. Now I have to lock everything up and feel intimidated all night. Why wasn't I there when they were training Lara Croft wannabees! Where's my tough gear..... Yet still smiling, in a forced upbeat kind of way

Edit: That was so negative. I know a load of people who are absolutely wonderful (mostly over 70 I have to confess) and I've had a lot of great, friendly, helpful experiences over the years, and I hope I've returned them. Probably haven't, but I'm young enough to learn.

Isn't it an interesting piece of social commentary that some of us find ourselves doing exactly that? I know for myself I often find myself looking for the bad and having my guard up because of the way things have changed. But think about it this way, have things really changed or have we just become too desensitized towards certain subjects/conditions?

Jon

 

[Etienne]

Great story, FedoraGent!! I rarely go anywhere where there is a toll road, but the next time I do, I'm going to employ that same practice! I think it's WAY cool and delightful to secretly surprise people like that! Look what an impact it made upon YOU (and ME!) Thanks for the story!

 

[VintageJess]

www.actsofkindness.org has some great stories as well!

 

[Cousin Hepcat]

FedoraGent & Pilgrim, Great stories! Caledonia, I guess the trick is learning to walk the fine line of not letting your guard Too Far down to be taken advantage of by the jerks, yet still giving strangers the benefit of the doubt if you have no reason to be suspicious...

VintageJess, what an inspiring website, I'm telling coworkers about it right now.

www.actsofkindness.org has some great stories as well!

Swing High,
- C H

 

[Mojave Jack]

I find it disappointing that our news constantly focuses on the negative. The good folks are out there, and I think it would make a world of difference if our attention was drawn to them instead of the murders, rapes, and other crimes. Personally, I think people like Joey Cheek should be on the cover of every magazine in the country, instead of stories about Britney Spears almost dropping her baby or why Nick and Jessica are getting divorced.

The news should look more like this: GoodPeopleStories.com

 

[Etienne]

Terrific websites!! THANK YOU, Mohave Jack!!

 

[jamespowers]

I find it disappointing that our news constantly focuses on the negative. The good folks are out there, and I think it would make a world of difference if our attention was drawn to them instead of the murders, rapes, and other crimes. Personally, I think people like Joey Cheek should be on the cover of every magazine in the country, instead of stories about Britney Spears almost dropping her baby or why Nick and Jessica are getting divorced.

The news should look more like this: GoodPeopleStories.com

"The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in our stars but in ourselves."
If the news people didn't make money selling papers with that junk in them they would stop printing it or using it on TV.

Regards,

J

 

[Lady Day]

I always feel compelled to give my umbrella to someone older than me, or a mother with kids. I did one time, to an old lady. It wasnt raining hard, and I didnt have that far to go. I just told her to pass along the kindness one day.


LD

 

[Mojave Jack]

"The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in our stars but in ourselves."
If the news people didn't make money selling papers with that junk in them they would stop printing it or using it on TV.

Regards,

J

Too true! The media is often accused of being too liberal, but in fact, I think they are the ultimate capitalists. They will sell you whatever you will buy.

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

Too true! The media is often accused of being too liberal, but in fact, I think they are the ultimate capitalists. They will sell you whatever you will buy.

It is oxymoronic, that the ulitmate capitalists would be slanted so far left. They often report to the majority, just so they can make more money. But, that's just my humble opinion....

As for the really good people out there...... I have been to a few stores in the past few days, I have a handicap liscense plate, but rarely use it. Usually only when there is absolutely no parking in the lot. Over the past few days, at every store I went to, there was someone parked in the handicap space who didn't have the plate or plackard. This really annoy's me. In the past, I'd say something to the person, once I even blocked someone in and went about my shopping for about a half hour. When I came out, the two young girls illegally parked were furious, I was actually in fear of a beat down! They didn't get my point, that there are people who really do need these spaces, and by taking them you could in fact be preventing them from doing what they need to do. Needless to say, I've given up. I've come to realize that too many entitled people live in Boston, and it's not worth it for me to try and make a stand. I know this isn't about "good people", more like really selfish people, but I just wanted to share my frustration.

 

[Twitch]

The country is full of Willoughbys. As most of those posting are from metropolian areas remember that this is a very large country and the norm is not the big city atmosphere simply because it is depicted in the media. There exists small town after small town down the less traveled road with a whole different attitude that the impersonal hustle of Chicago or Miami.

I find it remarkable that since humans gather in sizeable urban centers they rapidly forget that these habitats are a minority of their society. Media and entertainment spew forth an unrealistic picture of this country. We need to get past that fantasy. It's one thing for folks in Spain to see imported, translated TV shows and imagine everything and everyone in the US is depicted in that bogus way is real, but c'mon, we know better.

 

[jamespowers]

The country is full of Willoughbys. As most of those posting are from metropolian areas remember that this is a very large country and the norm is not the big city atmosphere simply because it is depicted in the media. There exists small town after small town down the less traveled road with a whole different attitude that the impersonal hustle of Chicago or Miami.

I find it remarkable that since humans gather in sizeable urban centers they rapidly forget that these habitats are a minority of their society. Media and entertainment spew forth an unrealistic picture of this country. We need to get past that fantasy. It's one thing for folks in Spain to see imported, translated TV shows and imagine everything and everyone in the US is depicted in that bogus way is real, but c'mon, we know better.

Small towns have their drawbacks as well. One of them being the prediliction of some to involve themselves in other people's business.
The media is another matter. The see small town America as fly over country because they are only based in metropolitan areas on either coast. I agree with Bernie Goldberg here. Make them have offices in Omaha, Tennesee, South Dakota and a few other places in fly over country so they can understand that there are people who do not think like they do or even live nearly the same. Then you will get a crosss section of America.

Regards,

J