I’m about to head to the opening of Hershey Park for the 2008 Season. This is the celebration of the opening (we were here for the last day of 2007, too) and the culmination of our April Expedition of the Campaign Across America. I’ll compile the stats and experiences from the trip and share in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, I had two really cool experiences this week – at truck stops. First, en route to Charlotte, NC (to help a friend), it was pouring rain when we stopped to “diesel up.” The protocol at truck stops is simple: pull in, diesel up, pull forward for someone else to get to the pump, head in to pay. I did. When I hopped out of the RV to pay (now fully exposed to the rain), I was surprised to find a fellow driver (though he was driving a big rig) _waiting_ for me – umbrella in hand.
He didn’t want me to get soaked, so he waited for me and we walked in together. It was a two-minute conversation about where each of us was heading and the weather. No ulterior motive. Pure generosity on his part.
If it were raining – would you wait for someone you never met to offer them your umbrella?
When we stopped to diesel up before we got to the Hershey High Meadow Campground (we got in yesterday), we stopped at a BUSY Petro station (we have two favorites: Pilot and Petro). While I was fueling, a truck pulled in – and based on the way he drove, I sensed he might have been frustrated. Then he hops out of the cab and walks right at me! Well, he wasn’t mad – he wanted to make sure I wasn’t getting ripped off!! He asked me if I held a Pilot Driver’s Rewards Card, and then shared tips on how to use it more effectively! We talked about fueling up, cars, trucks, locations, the whole bit. It was actually pretty cool – and I learned a lot (and left with a smile on my face).
Do you go out of your way to make sure people get taken care of (especially a complete stranger)?
In both of these cases, I found some of the most generous and thoughtful people while on the road. Complete strangers looking out for me, no strings attached. I know we need more of this in the world, and I hope that you take even a few moments to ponder these two examples to look for ways we can all look out for each other.
Have a great weekend.