I was coming out of Old Navy the other day, and stopped to look at my tires before I got in the car.
I think I need brakes and an alignment done, but that's neither here nor there.
I'm also missing a hubcap (wheel cover, whatever).
My poor little Toyota Corolla became a Toyota Hoopty somewhere between Montgomery and Destin back in January, and I've had neither the time nor the inclination to do anything about it.
Actually, it bothers me quite a bit, and I'm a little self-conscious about it, but apparently not enough to go buy a new one.
I was about ready to start the car, when a man jumped out of his car a few spaces away and came running over.
He came up to my window, and I cautiously cracked it a little as it's apparently a popular pastime around here for people to troll parking lots pretending to be stranded travelers and asking for money.
He excited said, "Hey! You want a hubcap?!"
I intelligently said, "Huh?"
Man: "I used to have that car, I just got rid of it, and I still have a hubcap."
Me (rocking the English language since 1964): "Uhhh, OK?"
He gave me his business card and told me to call him.
I called his cell phone Saturday, and he said he wasn't at home, but that he'd call me back.
I though, "oh well", since now it had probably become more work for him than for me at this point.
But, he called back Sunday and said he was at Lowe's, and that I could come get it.
I drove over there, and was presented with a brand new, still in the package hubcap.
Now, I don't have a missing hubcap, but my car stands out because I have 3 old hubcaps and one shiny new one.
But, I do have a new friend.
Recent Entries on Busymom.net:
- Dorm room planning, or not quite a college mom blog
- Summer's here
- Baseball, hotdogs, apple pie and Renfest
- Sing. Fly. Mate. Die.
- What do cicadas sound like?
What an awesome, totally random thing. Love it.
That is so fun!! I love it when things like that work out!
Now THAT is awesome.
That WAS you! I was at Old Navy that morning this week (when was that ... hmm ... Wednesday?) and I thought I saw you in your car, but by the time I looked back, you'd driven away. Anyway, crazy story. Great story.
It was Friday. (What can I say? I'm a stay-at-home mom. It all runs together.)
How incredibly cool! You no long drive a hoopty, and he had the chance to bless you.
Wow, there are good people left in this world. I love that he was just looking out for someone in his old car missing a hubcap. Too Funny!!
I love it when people are awesome. This made me smile.
Ha.. I thought I was the only one who still uses the word hoopty!
what a wonderful story. and so brave of him to come over that way because for most men it's not easy to risk being thought of as a possible attacker. i am happy to hear a story about a man who was doing something nice. the world needs more stories like that :)
haven't been here in a long time. i used to be honestyrain. nice to see you again.
Wonder if he has any more?
My Camry lost a hubcap/wheelcover/whatever to a NYC pothole four or five years ago.
Yeah, it bothered me enough to go looking for another one, too. Just matches the big dent on the other side of the car.
I totally thought you were going to say he was going to try to sell you the hubcap he just stole off your car!
Ok, this totally must be a corrolla thing...i have had the same thing happen 3 TIMES!!! and every corrolla I see is usually missing a hubcap as well!! :) Too funny!
How wonderful. Reading this gave me renewed hope for our out of control world. What a sweet thing to do. Pay it forward.
: )
Have been enjoying your blog tonight! What a great story about the hubcap. What made me stop and read it even more is that my mom recently lost a hubcap on her Toyota Carolla. She priced new ones, but they're expensive. So now when she's driving around and sees a hubcap lying on the side of the road, she stops and picks it up. Takes it home and tries it on her car. So far none of them have fit. What makes it so funny is that she puts the hubcap back in the area where she found it, in case the original owner comes back to look for it.