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Show Pat HcGh Myxn and Idrowe out to that mobile home, and I walked 19 to the font door (wfaeie the little boy was watching), mid him that I knew about his old bike, and asiced him if I could lee it," Ruse lays. "He jus (hut the dootBut before I turned to walk back to the tmdc, I heard thoie naked turn in the gw-e- l drive, and there he stood, holding that dilapidated hike. It! not much but you can have it if you want,' he Kid." Run thanked him, loaded it into the truck, and asked if he could give him something. T guess it would be okay," the litdeboysud. "As I unloaded that red bike, his eyes lit up and he hugged and thanked me, Rust recalls. That night I got a taste of what Christmas is all about. God blessed me all the way home, and he still does. I met that lad again not too long ago, and now he is a husband and a lathee He told me that he would never fctget me and that ted bike. Well, need I say, I was biesaed again, Up and running Last October on a Sunday evening, Martha Burnham of San Saba, Hatas, and her ganddaughcer were returning home from a loqg trip and stopped fix a break at a convenience Tern three houn from home. When returned the to cu; it would not start. they We knew nobody in Sweetwaeet; so we wise stuck until a mechanic could look at it the next day, Burnham says. I went bade into the store and cold the young detk about my dilemma, and he said. Well, 111 bet these two guys can help you,' referring to two young men standing with him. Orin Rnsnine and Cody Slayton, students at Haas Scare Technical College West Texas, determined the problem was the starter motor and said they could replace it if they had one to put on. Unfortunately, the local auto parts store was dosed. The young men thought they could get one at a junkyard, but I told them I didnt have die $132 it would cost. store in Sweetwater; (Mi) awmS tha a da of HandSilp whan Wm Imt Mni McDermott Imt poodto ridrt. is not a problem,' they said. We will go get it and pay it and put it on, and you can send us a check when you get home.' I still cannot believe that these two kids cared That for enough to do such an act of kindness, Burnham says. When Bumhfem offered die youqg students money for their time and labor; they refused. They said. If you are going to send us money (for the labor), then we won't even give you our address. All we want you to do is pare die act of kindness on to someone else. . Her reward: a new friend As Mary Ann Remaly drove out ofa grocery score parking lot in Bath, Fa., she noticed a shopping cart with a purse in it She got out of her car and retrieved the podretbook. Dnce I got home, I immediately found identification and called the pursed owner;" Remaly wys. "She was overjoyed that an Iwnwf pwnn had ftnml hw pww hwramp it contained quite a bit of cash." The two met later that day to exchange the pune. That first meeting led m many more with my new friend, Grace, Remaly says. We now get together quite a lot. Flower power Whenever she's A: perfect V? i'1 fit Nina McDermott' of Hayward, Wis., went to the Ben Franklin arts & crafts store in her hometown so buy a pattern to sew a poodle skirt for a 1950s party she planned to attend. She was disappointed to learn the store recently had quit handling patterns. "A store clerk, Pat McGhee, ' whom I had never met, said, 1 made one this spring and you are welcome , to use it. Ill go home on my coffee break and bring it back to the store . grocety shopping, Tracy Candelaria of Concho, Aria., buys a carnation from the stores floral department. As I leave the store, 1 give it to someone on my way out, she says. I always get a smile; sometimes I get a hug. One day, a lady chased me through the parking lot and said, You dont know what this means to me. That really made my day." Candelaria's acts of kindness are as good for her as they are for those who get her flowers. "This does more for me than it does anyone I give the flowers to, she says. "I love the way it makes me feel. ComtoiH k After Barbara J., Comaduran of Benson,' An,, was diagnosed; It with stage III breast cancer in June 1998, rigorous chemotherapy treatments frequently caused bad days. k One day when she' was out at the mailbox, her neighbor ud Ui 3 ,0 - for you,1 McDermott says. She did, and it was a perfect fit and a real work of ait." Iwf omi btttlti -- friend Thin Adams drevtf jj' ;yHe asked jjww.l was,but'when 1 replied, Okay.'he could see" gr jhat was hoc one, Comaduran Soon, die doorbell rang; and Adims wife, Nancy, came in to fcheckoo Comaduran andmake hottea-.Whe- n the doorbell rangl p again,' Adams was acthedoot "He came in and took hay hands in-- j his and told me tfoit 1 was the bravest person that he knew aqd thatvj f v he wanted me co have something, Comaduran sayyT opened inay hand andsaw that Thm, who served in Vietnam as a UA Marine, ; .had given me his service medial. I knew jure how much that medal and now far bad given it to ihe," meant to That May; Comaduran Bad a stem cell traruplane and wore the ;; medal throughout treatment. Tbms act bf kindnesa was so signif- - : icanrto me, ahe says. It helped mevnth my battle. 1 am happy ,'.; 1 s, to report due I continue to Be without evidence of cahc ' jC i ' if; V tr t '' ""vif VfcT :., .JtSi.j'JL -- s 4' ft Jute ; |