I headed to autozone for more carwash yesterday. As I pull in, a man is getting out of a van with Va tags on it. He goes around to the passenger side and gets a wheelchair out. He then lifts his young son out of the van and into the chair. The boys chair had a "my other car is a corvette" bumper sticker on it.(Made my chuckle) When I got out of the vette, and walked near them, the boy said how much he liked the sound of my vette. I thanked him, and asked about his "other vette". He said when he got his license, he was going to buy one. He was about 10 andthe whole time he had an ear to ear grin. His dad said thats all he talks about. We all go into the Zone. I get my carwash, and they have Terry come out and check their alternator. Yup, it's on it's last leg. They tell him they are heading home to VA Beach from Chicago. They had been out to a clinic to have tests run on the boy. Of course, me being the nosey gearhead, I'm standing right there watching Terry run the alt. test. They ask him if he knew of a place nearby that could replace it for them, and save them a lot of time and green. I piped up quick, I live 3 minutes away and would be glad to fix it for them. They buy the alt. and follow me home.
Dad and I talk while the boy is inside watching toons, playing with my dog, and talking to "she who must be obeyed", AKA the wife. The boy has something that no one has been able to figure out yet. In the last three years, it has left him crippled, and with limited strength and function of his arms. It's been hard but the boy never gives up, his dad said. All he talks about is getting better, getting his license, and buying a vette. The story about tore my heart out. I asked his dad if he had ever ridden in one. No, he hadn't. Things that make you go hmmm...
Got things wrapped up, went upstairs, washed the hands, and got dad and I some iced tea. After finishing the tea, Tom(dad) says to Bryan(son) that they have to get on the road. Still have about 5 hours to go. They wheel Bryan out the front and down the drive, while I go out the back and down. When they round the end of the house, I fire up the vette and give Bryan some revs. You shoulda seen his face, when his dad lifted him out of the chair, walked over to the van, then turned around and put him in the passenger seat of my car. We buckled him in, then I got in and asked if he was ready. He couldn't get his mouth closed enough to say yes from all the smiling.
We left the drive and got out of the neighborhood. Theres a nice stretch of road close to me that has a 2 mile straight, then you can make a left and hit some fun twisties. I took him in and out of the turns at a leisurely clip. We got to the crossroads, I turned back around and asked him if he thought we should hit them turns a little harder. "Oh yeah!", he said. We threw those curves like a road course. When I cam out on the straight stretch, I told him to watch the speedo. I did a real quick run to 100, then leveled out there for about 30 seconds. That's all he could stand, the giggles started coming out so hard he couldn't talk. We get back to the house(15 minute run) Tom asked how he liked it and he STILL couldn't talk for the giggles.
Tom kept thanking me for the help. I picked up Bryan, and put him in the van while Tom put the chair away. I buckled him in the seat and wished him good luck. Tom and I shook hands, exchanged numbers, and I told him to keep us informed of Bryans condition and to have a safe trip. As Tom got in, Bryan called me around to his side. He leaned out the window, gave me a neck snapping hug, and thanked me again. I don't mind telling you as they left, I had tears in my eyes.
Tom called last night to let me know they got home safe, thank me again for the help, and to give me hell. All he heard for 5 hours was about the ride! I kept hearing little boy giggles all night.
If only there were more people in the world like you. You have given that boy much needed joy, and I know that the time in your Vette he completely forgot he was disabled.
You never know. You probably gave that child another reason to keep trying through harder times to come.
As my mom used to say, "There'll be an extra star in your crown" (in Heaven) for what you did.
That was an awesome display of respect, generosity, and caring. Plus, it seems you got as much as you gave when it came to getting something positive from the day. Very, very cool.
Good for the soul, kinda long
I kept hearing little boy giggles all night. 
