A kindly man sees a woman alone waiting at a bus stop and offers her a lift. He is shocked and frightened when her husband shows up at his door.<\/p>\n
Lara Fairchild started running when she saw the bus turn the corner onto the street. The wind took her umbrella and tore it away, but Lara kept running. She ran as fast as she could through the pouring rain.<\/p>\n
Just as she got to the bus stop, the driver pulled away. Lara stood there, soaking, her heart pounding. She\u2019d have to wait at least an hour for another bus. And that was when a miracle happened.<\/p>\n
\u201cExcuse me?\u201d a voice said. Lara turned and saw that a man had pulled up to the bus stop and rolled down the passenger side window. \u201cI see you\u2019ve missed your bus. Would you like a lift?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lara hesitated. She\u2019d never hitchhiked, not even as a teen or in college, and she wasn\u2019t about to start now. \u201cNo thank you,\u201d she said firmly. \u201cI\u2019m quite alright.\u201d<\/p>\n
The man said gently, \u201cI\u2019m safe, you know. I have a daughter your age, and I\u2019d hate to think of her waiting at a bus stop on a night like this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kindness is always rewarded with kindness.
\nLara looked into the man\u2019s kindly eyes. Should she take a chance? Her mind screamed that she shouldn\u2019t, but her intuition whispered that she should accept.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s your name?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m Norm Harlow,\u201d the man said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. Harlow,\u201d Lara said. \u201cI hope you won\u2019t take this the wrong way, but could I see your driver\u2019s license?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI think you are being very sensible!\u201d Norm exclaimed and handed Lara his driver\u2019s license. Lara quickly snapped a photo and sent it to her husband with a text: \u201cGetting a lift from Mr. Norman Harlow, 64, from 34 Garrow Road.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then she opened the door and got into the car. \u201cGood thinking,\u201d Norm said cheerfully. \u201cI hope my daughter is as sensible as you are! So, where do you live?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lara told Norm her address, then added, \u201cMy instincts tell me you\u2019re a good man. But\u2026 better safe than sorry!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cExactly!\u201d Norm said happily. \u201cI always err on the side of caution myself. My wife is more of a go-getter, and she always criticizes me\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Lara smiled. \u201cThe same with me and my husband,\u201d she commiserated. \u201cHe takes risks, you know? Me, I\u2019m timid.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI tell you\u2026\u201d Norm said with a sigh. \u201cAbout ten years ago, my brother-in-law left his job to start his own business. He wanted me to partner up with him, but me\u2026I tell you, just the idea of risking my family kept me up nights. I turned him down. The thing is, he is now a big success, made a lot of money, and my wife won\u2019t let me forget it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you regret it?\u201d asked Lara.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo be honest,\u201d Norm said. \u201cNot really. You see, my brother-in-law is a hard man. The things he\u2019s done to get ahead wouldn\u2019t sit well with me. It\u2019s not who I am. There is just one thing I\u2019m sorry about. I\u2019m retiring next year, and I wanted to fix up my house real pretty for my wife. I don\u2019t have the money to pay a contractor, and I don\u2019t have the health to do it myself\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
The two chatted away happily like old friends, and before long, Norm was pulling into Lara\u2019s driveway. \u201cTake care now,\u201d Norm said. \u201cStay safe!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you, Norm,\u201d Lara said. \u201cSee you soon!\u201d<\/p>\n
That Saturday, Norm was startled when he heard someone knocking loudly at his front door. He opened the door and found himself face to face with a huge man with fists the size of hams.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you Norm Harlow?\u201d the man thundered.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d Norm said. \u201cI am, how can I help you?\u201d As he said this, three more men walked up and stood behind the big man and they were even bigger!<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you give my wife a lift on Wednesday night?\u201d the man demanded.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I did,\u201d Norm stammered. \u201cBut I assure you\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
The man placed a huge hand on Norm\u2019s chest and pushed him aside. \u201cLara said your house needs some fixing,\u201d the man said. \u201cI\u2019m a contractor and these here are my brothers.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut-but\u2026\u201d Norm gasped. \u201cI don\u2019t understand!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you or didn\u2019t you give my wife a lift?\u201d the man asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cAh\u2026I did!\u201d Norm gasped.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, where I come from, that\u2019s a kindness,\u201d the man said in his deep voice. \u201cAnd we always reward kindness with kindness!\u201d<\/p>\n
Lara\u2019s husband, his name was Mark, told Norm that he and his brothers would be coming over to his house every weekend until his home was all fixed up. All Norm had to do was tell them what he wanted.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut\u2026\u201d Norm gasped. \u201cI can\u2019t afford to buy the materials, let alone pay you!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t you worry about that!\u201d Mark growled. \u201cYou just stand aside and let me do what I do best!\u201d<\/p>\n
So Norm did. He was delighted when Lara arrived a little later and introduced her to his wife. \u201cYour husband gave me a fright!\u201d Norm confessed.<\/p>\n
Lara just laughed. \u201cHe looks like a grizzly but he\u2019s a teddy bear!\u201d she explained. \u201cThe moment I told him what you\u2019d done he said, \u2018That man is a rare treasure, Lara! I want to help him.\u2019 So that\u2019s what he is doing!\u201d<\/p>\n
Six months later, Norm\u2019s house was a showplace and his wife was delighted. Mark and Norm became the best of friends and the families became inseparable.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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