I got via e-mail -- simple story, but ...
> > > He was driving home one evening, on a two-lane country road. Work in
> > this
> > > small Midwestern community was almost as slow as his beat-up Pontiac.
> > But he
> > > never quit looking. Ever since the factory closed, he'd been
> > unemployed, and
> > > with winter raging on, the chill had finally hit home.
> > > It was a lonely road. Not very many people had a reason to be on it,
> > unless
> > > they were leaving. Most of his friends had already left. They had
> > families to
> > > feed and dreams to fulfill. But he stayed on. After all, this was where
> > he
> > > buried his mother and father. He as born here and he knew the country.
> > > He could go down this road blind, and tell you what was on either side,
> > and
> > > with his headlights not working, which came in handy. It was starting
> > to get
> > > dark and light snow flurries were coming down. He'd better get a move
> > on.
> > > You know, he almost didn't see the old lady, stranded on the side of the
> > road.
> > > But even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he
> > pulled
> > > up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still
> > sputtering
> > > when he approached her. Even with the smile on his face, she was
> > worried. No
> > > one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt
> > her?
> > > He didn't look safe; he looked poor and hungry. He could see that she
> > was
> > > frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt.
> > > It was that chill which only fear can put in you. He said, "I'm here to
> > help
> > > you, ma'am. Why don't you wait in my car where it's warm? By the way,
> > my
> > > name is Bryan." Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady,
> > that
> > > was bad enough. Bryan crawled under her car looking for a place to put
> > the
> > > jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two.
> > > Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his
> > hands
> > > hurt. As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window
> > and
> > > began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was
> > only
> > > just passing through. She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her
> > aid.
> > > Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. She asked him how much she
> > owed
> > > him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She had already
> > imagined
> > > all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped.
> > > Bryan never thought twice about the money. This was not a job to him.
> > This was
> > > helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty who had given
> > him a
> > > hand in the past...He had lived his whole life that way, and it never
> > occurred
> > > to him to act any other way. He told her that if she really wanted to
> > pay
> > > him, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that
> > person
> > > the assistance that they needed, and Bryan added "...and think of me."
> > > He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold
> > and
> > > depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing
> > into the
> > > twilight.
> > > A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to
> > grab a
> > > bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her
> > trip
> > > home. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas
> > pumps.
> > > The whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The cash register was like the
> > > telephone of an out of work actor-it didn't ring much. Her waitress
> > came over
> > > and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile
> > one
> > > that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn't erase.
> > > The lady noticed that the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but
> > that
> > > she never let the strain and aches change her attitude. The old lady
> > wondered
> > > how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then
> > she
> > > remembered Bryan.
> > > After the lady finished her meal, and the waitress went to get change
> > for her
> > > hundred-dollar bill, the lady slipped right out the door. She was gone
> > by the
> > > time the waitress came back.
> > > She wondered where the lady could be, and then she noticed something
> > written
> > > on the napkin, under which were four $100 bills. There were tears in
> > her eyes
> > > when she read what the lady wrote. It said: "You don't owe me anything,
> > I
> > > have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I'm helping
> > you. If
> > > you really want to pay me back, here is what you do:
> > > Do not let this chain of love end with you." Well, there were tables to
> > clear,
> > > sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it
> > through
> > > another day. That night when she got home from work and climbed into
> > bed, she
> > > was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How could
> > the
> > > lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby
> > due
> > > next month, things were going to be hard.
> > > She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to
> > her, she
> > > gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, "Everything's going to
> > be all
> > > right. I love you, Bryan."
> > > Today, I sent you this story, now I am asking you to pass it on...Let
> > the
> > > Light Shine. Don't just delete it. Please pass this onto a friend.
> > >
> > >
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