Unknown Neighbor with Screwdriver

I pulled into a neighborhood gas station in midwinter with my front license plate barely hanging on to the car. I’d parked a week earlier in a parking space that was fronted by an ice-covered snowbank, and had parked too close. I meant to fix the plate as soon as I got around to it, but of course I never thought about it at a time when I had tools handy.

As I left my car to go inside the store, a man in a van said “Looks like you could lose that license plate. That could be expensive.” I kind of laughed and said, “Yep, I gotta get that fixed.”

When I got out of the store he was just leaving my front bumper, tool box in hand. He was in his van before I could reach him, and exited the parking lot with a wave and a smile. He had secured the license plate and hadn’t even waited for thanks or even acknowledgement.

I’ve never seen him again, but I think of him every time I have a chance to do something helpful for someone, and try to take the time and effort to help as he helped me.