h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

7 September 2005

I received a call from St Clairsville, Ohio, today. My application to Belmont Technical College has been accepted! I can start in Winter 2005!! I am a college student!!
Course, I've also got to edit my entry on Dark Diamond, apply to the local tech school for a few classes whose credits can be transferred to Belmont, do my Metaphysical school homework, and take whatever assignments Randstad gives me. Fun fun fun...
A very kind gesture was also shown to me today. Well...more than kind - outright incredibly generous! I had to fuel my car in Lula after trying to find my friend, Marie, who had a stroke a few days ago. She wasn't at the hospital, so I went to Cleveland to find her at home. She wasn't there. So in order not to be stranded on the expressway I went to put some fuel in my car. I think I got five gallons of fuel for $15. But when I went to pay for it my debit card was declined. I thought Randstad had paid me for working on Labor Day already. I mean, the grocery store certainly took my money for the flowers I bought for Marie. Anyway, the store clerk said, "You'll have to call someone to come pay for you." I thought, Great, Mom's gonna love this.
Then a voice behind me said, "How much is it?" I turned and a very tall man had addressed the clerk. She told him and he said, "I'll take care of it." I moved aside and said, "Thank you." He shook his head and said, "It's alright, don't worry about it."
"Is there any way I can repay you?"
Again, he shook his head. "Don't worry about it."
Even though I am not Christian, I figured he would most likely be one, since this is the Bible Belt. So I smiled and said, "God bless you," to which he grinned.
This has reaffirmed my faith in humans quite a bit. A complete stranger has shown such extreme generousity to me. I only hope that one day I can repay him. If not, then I shall pass on similar kindness to someone else.

Ace, Dale! Congratulations... Life as a college student is an experience that should not be missed by anyone. The burning of midnight oil, weeks of eating ramen and stuff you dig out from the bottom of your closet, smelly clothes that don't have the privilege of visiting a landromat... It's great, I tell you. But now... what to send you as a going-away ...

It does revive one's hope in mankind when someone does a good deed like that, doesn't it? I once had a college girl pay for my train ticket - though not half as expensive as gas - because I hadn't any change for a fifty, and then refused to collect from me. The generosity of complete strangers.