A couple of weeks ago, I bought a fairly rare dashboard gage panel from a guy I'd never seen before, at a swap meet. We did the usual back & forth dickering and reached agreement. He had mentioned that he "might" have the cigarette lighter (designed to match the other control switches) around "somewhere" and would send it to me if he found it. I gave him my name & addy and walked away thinking cynically, that the piece of paper would get tossed immediately. About a week later, I get a package in the mail containing the lighter! He had actually taken the time to look for it, package it, run it to the Post Office and spend a few bucks to mail it to me, just like he said he would! Not exactly a life altering experience, but it kinda restored my faith in people and actually embarrased me to realize that I usually think ill of people as a gut reaction. I'm old enough to remember a man's word & a handshake were sacred and, saddly, that seems to have gone away lately. Anyways, I don't know if he's a HAMBer or not, but if anybody knows a guy named Jeff Nichols out of Bluff Point, NY, he's a man of his word and a great guy to deal with.
that's a great story. it is kind of sad though, to be amazed when someone actually backs their words with deeds. i woudn't feel to badly for having those thoughts. sometimes swap meets seem to bring out the worst in human character. a man isn't a man if his word is no good.....imho
This Is Why I Quit Watching The Local News. It's Full Of Nothing But Murder, Rape And Crime. Tell Me Something Good For A Change. It's Sad The Times We Live In But Life Makes Up For It With Stories Like These. Thanks For Sharing
That is the type of person that I seek out when doing business. I don't expect anyone to bend over backwards to help me out, but I like it when they do. Very few people honor their word and it reallly bothers me. When you agree to a deal or commitment you follow through. I can only imagine that those who do not live their lives in that manner were never taught the basics as a kid.
When I saw the title of this message, I expected to read another post about somebody getting burned. What a pleasant surprise.
Yes, I am so glad the thread took the direction that it did..I try everyday to inject a little more honesty, optimism, and laughter into my life and everyone around me..it seems like after every dispute, people say," Well, I've learned not to do business with friends or family" Bullshit..My poor old mother-in-law and my wife sometimes, stayed glued to what I call the bummer channel on TV, they, especially the old lady, want to stay in touch with current events. Who needs to know about all the murders,kidnappings,riots and shootings? so she can turn off the TV, lock all the doors, and have a restless nights sleep? What a wonderful experience you had, a stress reliever instead of a stress inducer....
Thanks for the good news story, with all th ecrap you hear about today it is nice to know some folks still honor their word.
Couldn't happen to nicer guy! Bob; our transactions were always top-shelf. I wish everybody could be trusted on just their word, the world would be a better place. Are you going to Dunkirk this year? Steve
Bought a '65 Chevy pickup off the side of the road, the man selling it said he never registered it in his name (after 4 or 5 years) and the title was still in the name of the salvage yard he bought it from. So I picked up the truck and headed over to the salvage yard where the guy explained the process for registering the truck in my name. After explaining the process, he said it'd be easier if he did it for me. So I forked over my taxes and titling fees and just gave him my name and address. Everything showed up in the mail, much quicker than I thought! From Can-Tyl auto sales just outside Athens, TX.
Yep... me too. The sad thing is, SO many people today look at honest, hard working people as suckers or idiots. Try to be a man of your word today, and folks are suspicious. Its sad.
A little off topic, but here we go. When I was 12 or 13 I was really into model cars. I subscribed t a scale auto magazine, and with a new subscription came a free add in the classifieds. I put an add in looking for Ed Roth or Rat Fink stuff, as I was really into that as well. About a month later, a package came with a orriginal 60's rat fink indy slot car model kit, complete in a sealed box (this was early 90's by the way). No return address, but it did have a book in there talking about God. I have no idea who sent it or from were, they did not even know I was a kid. It still makes me smile today to know that there are STILL people that do things out of the kindness of there heart.
I call TV the Panic&Fear Mongers. All fear all the time. It keeps you indoors-watching more commercials and buying from Home Shopping Network. I believe, as a percentage, old car guys give and get more honesty and respect than the general population. It makes my day to see some old guys standing next to a full Tats dude in deep conversation about their mutual love for old iron.
Thanks for the post. I too have been disillusioned by the way the world has gone but I still feel that a man is only as good as his word. A few years ago I was taking a load of stuff to the swap-meet and parked my truck and trailer in an area near the hotel. Next morning I found a nasty dent in the right rear quarter of my (new) truck. I told a friend I couldn't believe someone would just drive off without leaving note. He said you really don't believe someone would leave a note did you? I said yes, yes I do! and I hope most people would leave a note.
I once had a guy back into my El Camino and crack the tailight. He left a note with a phone number. I called a told him what a new lens would cost and gave him my address. He was from out of state so I figured I would never hear from him again. A week later a card shows up apologizing for the hit, with a check for the lens plus $10 extra for the installation. It does restore your faith when people do the right thing. It also inspires me to do the same.....
The way I see it if I do several good deeds a month I get to do some bad ones......like stayin out drinking etc.It all works out at the gate.
Hey I got one also. At the Decatur swap meet I picked up some Cal custom 40-30 scoop for 2 barrall cars. Well they had the bottoms for the bigger bases. He said he had the smaller ones and promised to send them. Well he did. I was out on a limb in hoping he kept his word and he did. There are still good poeple out there. I seen him a couple weeks ago at the PAte swap meet and said TOLd you so. I thought that was really cool. Rusty
Nice to read these stories of people sticking to their word. Maybe I won't write off humanity just yet.
Honest people are still around. I bought an engine off a guy. Went to pick it up and we couldnt find one exhaust valve. He tore through everything couldnt find it. He took my name address and said if I find it I will mail it to you. I think yeah right. About 2 months goes by and this guy emails me. He lost my address but still searched and found my email. He shipped me the valve. Faith was restored in my fellow man.
keeping the "word" works both ways I sent someone on here a 3 speed column with shifter and few years ago in trade for their auto matic column, I just remembered (a few days ago) I never got anything back for the trade. Not even a thanks.
Hey Tag, glad the guy was a man of his word. It seems so few are anymore. Also, thanks to you and Bernie for making sure I got the cooler I bought from him at the Rose Garden swap meet. Can't believe that I left it behind! What a schmuck!!! Just thinking about getting Eric's trans loaded in the car and just got distracted is all I can come up wiyh. Anyway, thanks for the solid.
I was selling at a swap meet this past Sunday....and a guy told me he wabted a few things that I was selling but didn`t have any cash left on him....he also told me he wanted a frame I had at home and a few other things as well.I,without taking a deposit and only having his word to go by....drove 2 hours to his place yesterday and delivered everything he wanted....sure enough....he paid with cash...and had no complaints...even reimbursed me for the gas.I love trustworthy people....it really makes you smile.
I have a two fold one for ya, I had a couple buddy's that rented a house down the alley from me. They both had cars in their garage and had barrowed a pretty nice floor jack from me. It was a heavy duty shop style floor jack. So they get done using the jack one day and clean up shop and put everything away, only to leave my jack out in the alley. Well sure enough two days latter I need my jack back and that’s when we discovered it must have been left out in the alley. So these guys replace my jack by going to the manufacturer and getting the exact same jack to replace mine. (it was a lot more expensive than just going to Sears or HF) So about 5 or 6 months latter, my buddies are in their garage thrashing again and while running in the house to get a beer one of the guys sees an old timer standing at the front door. Instead of blowing him off as a solicitor he talks to him. The old timer asks him if he had lost "anything" a few months back out in the alley. My buddy tells him they lost a floor jack. Well lo and behold; the old timer had the jack and gave it back to them! He said he picked it up because it looked like somebody just forgot it. He was out driving around to gather food for a food drive when he found the jack so my buddy unloaded their cupboards on him with canned beans and corn and the like. Needless to say they kept that jack for good luck. BYC
Used to be "spit and a handshake" was worth gold. Now-a-days a handshake ain't worth spit. I remember way way back if a buddy had something I needed (or vice versa) and one of us said we wanted the part THAT was the end of it - if the part was ever for sale - the other person got it - no if's and or butt's. Now-a-days with Ebay greasing our greed - I can't tell you how many times a good friend has told me (or was too chicken to tell me) "sorry dude, but I got stupid money for it on Ebay - I knwo you needed/wanted it, but hey what was I supposed to do" Well sad to say now-a-days I fully expect the above response. Talk is cheap when greed enters the equation. And before you think this is a one way street let me put those arguements to bed. Nope! Kinda makes a fella a tad cynical to say the least. Car guys any better - I don't know - I bought a bell housing from P. Fuess out of Texas - it was totally misrepresented. I returned it - looser never did give me my money back even though he said he would. I'm sure he had all the best intentions - yeah right - just like so many of my "buddys" did..... However credit is due when someone steps up and keeps their word as in your case. Good for him. Maybe I can lift my cynical cloud just a little!!
I have a policy with my business that everyone is a good guy until they prove themselves otherwise. The result so far is that people are so blown away at being trusted that they go out of their way to do the right thing. It takes a lot less energy to be positive and the results can be awesome.
Got to stick to your word, I have a business, and if I bid a job at a certain price and it takes me longer than expected, I'll eat it. I'm not going to ask for more money (as some other shops have), a word is a word. BTW, same goes for everyday life. I'm a very black or white guy, it's either a yes or a no, I don't do maybe.
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