I did a good deed today

[Dutch Uncle]

I walk down the store.
I girl approaches me, at the entrance: "Could you buy me some cigarettes?" (There's an age requirement here to be able to buy them, by law)

"No", I say.
Hypocrite. I'm a walking chimney.
But it is time this smoking crap is stopped.
So I don't mind I'm a hypocrite for smoking myself and 'denying' hers.
She can start at 21.
If she still craves them.
I don't mind her scorning look at me.

Yay me! 

[arpy1]

Wow. You are one brave man, D/Uncle. i really don't know how i wld have handled that situation. 

[JohnnyBoy]

I always love it when you do something nice for someone and they look at you incredulously and asked "now why would you do that for me?"

[Dutch Uncle]

The lightbulb in my bathroom popped, so I went down the supermarket to buy a new one.
Since a year or two the old-fashioned lightbulbs are banned (EU-regulations. Sensible ones.) and only Halogen, LED and "Compact fluorescent" lamps/bulbs are allowed (much more energy-efficient). Downside: it's not so easy to figure out how much light they give, as 'wattage' does not fit the bill anymore.
So I sat quite a while at the rack, and had a lot of boxes go through my hands while I tried to work out what I should buy. The Inner Critic tried to mess up the process ("You idiot! you should have known this and have spend time on the net to figure this out, you slacker!") as well as the Outer Critic (I guess, he's still new to me) by yelling "These morons here! Couldn't they have put up a sing so I know IMMEDIATELY what is what?! I'm wasting my time here and I look like a fool!".
Anyway, I stayed cool, went on about it and bought the best I could think of. And it's damned brilliant, just the amount of light I need. 

On top of it, at the counter, I told the lady there were a lot of empty boxes in the rack (theft probably, but I didn't insinuate that, she can figure that out or not.  ), and also some boxes with probably broken lamps. I showed that the loose bulb I had in my hand was my old one (Different brand than they have there, so that was safe) lest she would get funny thoughts. Excellent, "make your own safety a priority", the people at the addiction centre told me a year ago, and I'm glad I applied that lesson here, today.

[MaryAnn]

Hi Dutch Uncle,

I did a good deed today.  I love animals and have always done what I can to help them.  Tonight when I left work (I am always the last person out of the office), I heard a kitten crying at the top of it lungs.  I turned around and walked towards the crying and found a white and orange kitten next to a bush right outside the door.  She followed me but would not let me touch her at first.  Within just a couple of minutes she was rubbing on my leg and rolling over so I could pet her belly.  It was obvious that this was not a ferrule kitten like I typically run in to in the parking lot.  I could not leave her, there are a lot of predators out there and ferrule cats that could kill her.  Someone had dumped her and from the looks of her, very recently.  She had been thru a major downpour shortly before I left work.  Security showed up and he helped me to build more trust with her so I could pick her up and helped me to get in my car.

Since it was so late, I called several shelters and emergency clinics to see if I could get anyone to take her in if I paid for everything to check her out and also to give her the shots she needed and any other medical care she needed.  The clinic told me for being a good Samaritan that I did not owe them anything, they would take care her at no charge and allow me to pick her up in the morning to take to a No Kill Shelter that I volunteer at instead of animal control.   It was a good day! I can't believe that people can in good conscious can just dump an innocent, domesticated kitten or puppy, cat or dog, and leave them to fend for themselves and to try to figure out how to survive. It feels so good to save a life.  I hope that a child out there has the chance to know and love her and that the kitten is also loved and taken care of with dignity and respect. 

MaryAnn 

[Dutch Uncle]

Yay! 

I love 'good deed' stories! It's goodness floating around freely.
Well done for you MaryAnn. Thanks on behalf of the kitten as well. 

[arpy1]

that's a really cheering story, MA, thanks for posting it.  hope the little kitty is doing well and finds a lovely home

[Dutch Uncle]

Actually it was two weeks ago, but yesterday I got a 'payoff'.
My uncle has died two years ago, and I did send my aunt a short postcard an the anniversary. Nothing 'much', just a few lines to show I'm 'with her' and to acknowledge the loss that she still feels.

She had phoned me three days ago, but I didn't pick up the phone (I am still uptight about phones ringing, nothing to do with her though). So yesterday I phoned back, still uptight a bit about 'flying monkeys', even though rationally I knew it couldn't be so with her.
She thanked me elaborately about the card, and told me she had shown it to many people and telling them: "that's my (sweet) nephew who sends me these cards."


This is a powerful antidote to all the poison that has been cast to me by my FOO who keep telling me how 'inconsiderate' I am.
I'm not.
I really value the validation my aunt has given me. If only she knew... I had a normal conversation with someone who griefs, without any drama inserted in to it. That these things are possible... I still have to get acquainted with these things. 'Proper' inter-human relationships. They do exist.
, aunty. 

[arpy1]

that is lovely, D/U. i am glad 

[Indigochild]

thats so cool Dutch Uncle!
Good for you - and for her!
I would have said no sorry and done a guilty looking face to make me physically look as awkward as i feel, but why should i have to apologise for not wanting to do something?
Its not like buying them fags is my responsibility!
Good on you Dutch.

[Dutch Uncle]

As I post this it's 3:15 pm.

I see a guy breaking in a house across the street. Odd. On a bright day? I live in a busy street, with four story apartment buildings attached to each other.
Still I decide to check it out. The best con is after all to do your mischief in plain sight.
I walk up and ask "What's up?"  (in a not particularly confrontational manner, as far a question like that can be non-confrontational  )
"I'm breaking in." the guy says.
I keep my cool (which does take an effort, as the whole thing takes an effort in self-control) and say "Yeah, I see that."
Silence. For a sec or two.
"I'm a locksmith, and the occupant has phoned me." I see that he is working specifically on a lock that's not the main lock.
I tell him I know the guy who lives there, and decided to have a look what is going on.
"I understand. I'm always happy if the neighborhood checks out what I'm doing. It wouldn't be a good thing if I could do my job unnoticed in broad daylight."
"OK", I say, and leave.

I'll have a look over still, now and then. 

edited to add: door's open, and my neighbor is there as well. All is fine. 

update #2: Went over again, to celebrate the 'good ending'... The bill is 717 euro . I guess it's a con after all .