No good deed goes unpunished

Soundguy · Mar 17, 2004

I sympathize with you buddy. Last year I had one of those days. An (older) good buddy was selling his small horse farm (6ac pasture + some 'yard' around the house and barn). He had just put it on the market, and had a call the next day.. they wanted to come out and see it.. and were bringing deposit money.. only problem is grass wasn't mowed for like 2 months as his ford 1210 tractor was broke down.. ( due to lack of any sort of maintenance over the last 15 years... ). His grass was 2'tall in the yard and 2-3' tall in th pasture ( he got rid of the horses already ). He needs the grass cut -tomorrow- morning.. and is freaking out. I call in that night and take the next day off work.. get my 1920 and mower on the trailer, and head out in the morning. I decide that his tractor only needs a tire aired.. some lube in the rear end ( leaky seal drained it in the year it didn't run ) and to have his injectors blead. I devote about 30 minutes and get his tractor running and get his 4' mower hooked up ( a horse farmer he is.. but id it comes to anything that requires 'wrenches' his is a wet noodle ). I tell him to start on his 'yard' with his ford 1210 and 4' mower..as my 1920 couldn't maneuver around in it and it was way way to high for a riding lawnmower. I asked about any 'obstacles'.. "none he says" I make two passes around the fence, to cut the fence line and hit a pile of old fence posts... shear a mower shear pin... take the next 30 minutes driving it out, and getting the snap ring that popped off the yoke back on, and a new bolt in.

Get pasture mowed finally and are heading to the barn, when his neighbor comes over... his jeep is stuck down the road in a 'dry' lake bed.. and asked if I could go pull him out.. well.. I got stuck too.. ( 4wd just lets you get stuck further from home! )... Had to walk back to get my truck, and use my 2" nylon tie down strat as a snatch strap to get tractor then jeep out. I was buried 2' deep in muck... muck was up tot he operators platform.. had to use my trailer ramps as wedges under the tires to drive out..

I looked like the swamp thing... It was dark now.. had been there all day.. If he hadn't have been my best friend.. it wouldn't have happened. And I too had to fight back saying a few things as the day went on... oh well.. lifes lessons..

Just look at it like this... you lost some $$ and had a rough day.. but perhaps tought a good lesson to your kid, and racked up a couple buckets 'o karma points in the process.

Soundguy

frank_f15 · Mar 17, 2004

( I guess most of us can say "been there done that" at some point in our lives. The intresting thing is most all those things you could have had happen at home.
)

that's what i feel also, most breakdowns are going to occour anyhow, and now u can feel good about yourself, helping a friend in need.

JDgreen227 · Mar 17, 2004

I'm sorry to learn of the problems you experienced while trying to help someone in need, but you should be proud of yourself for doing everything you did. I am retired, and I go out and clear snow from my neighbor's driveways during bad weather, during the 15 years I have lived on the country road where I am, I have helped at least two dozen motorists with flat tires, no gas, off the road, or whatever else. Something about my place seems to be a magnet for drivers with various vehicle problems. When the new house was being built next door I towed or pushed out several of the contractors who were stuck in the drive in snow or mud, with no expectation of anything but a "thanks". About 10 years ago I was mowing my yard and a lady hiked up, she said she was stuck in the driveway of the vacant house about half a mile down the road, with her "little truck" which happened to be a Suburban. She was high centered with one wheel on the ground and I spend two hours jacking and digging to get her out.

During all the years of helping folks I never took a dime from anyone although most of them wanted to pay me, usually I didn't even expect payment for the fuel I gave them. I'm a believer in "what goes around comes around" and think back to the years I was growing up and all the kind folks who stopped to help ME when I crashed my bike, or ran out of gas with the first car I have, or whatever.

My dad spent a lot of his life helping others, he always liked to say a man never stands taller than when he stoops to help someone in need.....

Usually when people do favors they expect something in return, I have never felt that way. Don't blame you for being discouraged about this incident, though. Some days NOTHING seems to go right.

rims421 · Mar 17, 2004

Thanks guys for putting things in perspective for me.
Now that a few days have passed since that tough day.
I can't help but to agree that the satisfaction of helping a friend out weighs any small investment of frustration and
$. And every cloud has a silver lining. While under the front
axle I noticed the bolts on the end of the front end housing were loose right where it bolts to the steering knuckle. If I didnt have to change the gear lube in the front axle I probably would not have noticed it. Could have cost me more in the long run. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

JDgreen227 · Mar 17, 2004

And I hope your friend appreciates what a great one he has in you !!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

AndyMA · Mar 17, 2004

Sure does sound typical. I once made the mistake of letting a friend use my 2120. Seems he used it a little hard. $1600 for a new front axle ring and pinion. Tractor has never been loaned out since. Another time I was helping a friend dig a small foundation. Hit the water line that was supposed to be down 8' at less than 4. A Sunday no less. The water department gave me the parts and told me I could do the swimming. I had to dig a huge hole and a canal to more or less drain the area. Yes I love that "No good deed goes unpunished" /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Andy

Junkman · Mar 17, 2004

( Junkman before you ask, the answer is no. I'm not mowing your grass or plowing your drive, period. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif )

PineRidge..... you are just too far away for me to think of asking you to do anything like mowing grass or plowing my drive, but Rims421 is in my neighborhood, so I am going to be keeping an eye out for him!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Slamfire · Mar 18, 2004

( ( 4wd just lets you get stuck further from home! )...
)

And 3 feet beyond the end of the tow truck cable. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

riptides · Mar 18, 2004

You'll be rewarded. Your son got to see a better side of a real man. That helps us all in the long run.

You can be my neighbor anytime.

Is this a lost value as we move forward in time? Both on the giving and recieving. When some one helps me out, I always say "thanks" and try to find something I can give or do for them.

-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Soundguy · Mar 18, 2004

( My dad spent a lot of his life helping others, he always liked to say a man never stands taller than when he stoops to help someone in need.....
)

Great quote... I'm saving it..

( the kind folks who stopped to help ME when /quote]

Same here. i remember as a teenager just starting to drive, the alternator going out in my car, and it died about 60' from an intersection with a gas station across the intersection ( As kids didn't we all own one of those fix-er-ups type cars? ). Of course.. dark thirthy... not even enough power for hazard lights. I had just got out of the car when this big pickup pulled up behind me, and this big man stepped out.. and said.. "well lets get this off the road before you get killed" His wife slid over to the drivers seat and followed us. I thought he was just going to help me push it off the road, but instead he helped me push it to the gas station. I jumped in at the last minute to hit the brakes and shift into park, and before I could get back out he was gone... didn't even stay to be thanked...

Soundguy