Some coin people are truly awesome people!
coppercoins
Posts: 6,084 ✭✭✭
This is a true story I posted on the forum on my website regarding a gentleman and his kindness. I have known Garry for about three years online, but we had never met in person at the time the following events occurred. Some of the people you run into on the web are true slobs, but there are also very angelic people out there too, like Garry.
The following took place on Tuesday, May 25th of this year while we were trying to get to Greece for our vacation.
Quoted from coppercoins.com forum:
While finishing off the packing for our trip to Europe the night before we were to leave, I asked my wife if all the passports were out and ready to go. She disappeared for a while and came out to bear some very bad news. My son's passport had expired and we were to begin an overseas journey in less than 12 hours.
Our flight was to take us from Springfield to Chicago, then London, and finally Athens. We got online and found out that it is possible to do a walk-through passport in one day at the passport center in Chicago. The only problem is, we didn't have tickets to fly to Chicago earlier than 5:30PM, long after they stop accepting walk through service.
Before taking a nap that night, I emailed Garry because I knew he lived in Chicago and asked if he could do anything to help us get downtown, and gave him our cell number. I figured he could arrange a private cab to get us down there, let us do our thing, and get back to the airport to catch our 8:30PM flight to London. Of course I would pay for whatever he arranged, my purpose in calling on him was to help us with the calls to arrange such a thing, and that only.
We found out that there was an earlier flight to Chicago that was to take off at 7:05AM, giving us plenty of time to do the walk-through passport service. We showed up for the flight to go standby, found out they had three seats to put us on the flight, and waited at the gate. Long story short, the flight was cancelled due to mechanical problems, and they had to put all ticketed passengers on a later flight, at 10:30AM.
We went to the service counter and asked if there was anything they could do for us. There really wasn't anything they could do sinc we weren't even ticketed to leave until late afternoon, and the problems caused by the mechanical failure booked all their future flights for the day completely solid. Our only choice was to attempt to transfer the ticket to United (we were ticketed on American) which is something they usually don't do. Well, they did it, and the flight took off at 9:00.
During that time I was in contact with Garry and he told me that there wouldn't be time to get a cab or anything of that nature downtown and back to the airport. Out of the kindness of his heart, he offered to come to the airport himself, pick us up, take us downtown to take care of our problem, then to take us back to the airport. I knew at this point that if I didn't take him up on the offer that we wouldn't have made it to Greece - there was just no other way. Reluctantly, I asked him for the help and he kindly agreed.
Garry took the day off of work, picked us up at the airport, drove us 20 miles downtown, hung around for three hours while we got my son's passport renewed (which in itself was a miracle - we went in at 2PM and had the passport at 4PM), then drove us back to the airport in plenty of time for our connecting flight to London. On top of that he wouldn't accept payment for what he did and wanted to give us money to get his wife a gift from Greece. Of course I didn't accept his money, and am mailing them a nice tablecloth with place setting napkins today that we got in Athens for them.
This post is in part to tell you of just some of the stress that we encountered during our vacation, but much more so to let you know how much I appreciate the community that has developed here. Some of the very best people in the world have found this place and called it home, and that makes me very proud. Garry's selflessness and willingness to be put completely out to help me has made me very appreciative of what we have here, and very thankful there are people like him around.
Garry, once again, I cannot thank you enough for all you did for us that Tuesday, and for being a regular participant on this site for all the years you have been around. You are a true gentleman and were a definite pleasure to be able to meet in person, albeit under less than desirable circumstances. I do intend on continuing to return your favor to you and pass it along to anyone else in need - I do realize what a blessing it is to have and to give help when it is needed. Thanks again.
The following took place on Tuesday, May 25th of this year while we were trying to get to Greece for our vacation.
Quoted from coppercoins.com forum:
While finishing off the packing for our trip to Europe the night before we were to leave, I asked my wife if all the passports were out and ready to go. She disappeared for a while and came out to bear some very bad news. My son's passport had expired and we were to begin an overseas journey in less than 12 hours.
Our flight was to take us from Springfield to Chicago, then London, and finally Athens. We got online and found out that it is possible to do a walk-through passport in one day at the passport center in Chicago. The only problem is, we didn't have tickets to fly to Chicago earlier than 5:30PM, long after they stop accepting walk through service.
Before taking a nap that night, I emailed Garry because I knew he lived in Chicago and asked if he could do anything to help us get downtown, and gave him our cell number. I figured he could arrange a private cab to get us down there, let us do our thing, and get back to the airport to catch our 8:30PM flight to London. Of course I would pay for whatever he arranged, my purpose in calling on him was to help us with the calls to arrange such a thing, and that only.
We found out that there was an earlier flight to Chicago that was to take off at 7:05AM, giving us plenty of time to do the walk-through passport service. We showed up for the flight to go standby, found out they had three seats to put us on the flight, and waited at the gate. Long story short, the flight was cancelled due to mechanical problems, and they had to put all ticketed passengers on a later flight, at 10:30AM.
We went to the service counter and asked if there was anything they could do for us. There really wasn't anything they could do sinc we weren't even ticketed to leave until late afternoon, and the problems caused by the mechanical failure booked all their future flights for the day completely solid. Our only choice was to attempt to transfer the ticket to United (we were ticketed on American) which is something they usually don't do. Well, they did it, and the flight took off at 9:00.
During that time I was in contact with Garry and he told me that there wouldn't be time to get a cab or anything of that nature downtown and back to the airport. Out of the kindness of his heart, he offered to come to the airport himself, pick us up, take us downtown to take care of our problem, then to take us back to the airport. I knew at this point that if I didn't take him up on the offer that we wouldn't have made it to Greece - there was just no other way. Reluctantly, I asked him for the help and he kindly agreed.
Garry took the day off of work, picked us up at the airport, drove us 20 miles downtown, hung around for three hours while we got my son's passport renewed (which in itself was a miracle - we went in at 2PM and had the passport at 4PM), then drove us back to the airport in plenty of time for our connecting flight to London. On top of that he wouldn't accept payment for what he did and wanted to give us money to get his wife a gift from Greece. Of course I didn't accept his money, and am mailing them a nice tablecloth with place setting napkins today that we got in Athens for them.
This post is in part to tell you of just some of the stress that we encountered during our vacation, but much more so to let you know how much I appreciate the community that has developed here. Some of the very best people in the world have found this place and called it home, and that makes me very proud. Garry's selflessness and willingness to be put completely out to help me has made me very appreciative of what we have here, and very thankful there are people like him around.
Garry, once again, I cannot thank you enough for all you did for us that Tuesday, and for being a regular participant on this site for all the years you have been around. You are a true gentleman and were a definite pleasure to be able to meet in person, albeit under less than desirable circumstances. I do intend on continuing to return your favor to you and pass it along to anyone else in need - I do realize what a blessing it is to have and to give help when it is needed. Thanks again.
C. D. Daughtrey, NLG
The Lincoln cent store:
http://www.lincolncent.com
My numismatic art work:
http://www.cdaughtrey.com
USAF veteran, 1986-1996 :: support our troops - the American way.
The Lincoln cent store:
http://www.lincolncent.com
My numismatic art work:
http://www.cdaughtrey.com
USAF veteran, 1986-1996 :: support our troops - the American way.
0
Comments
09/07/2006
Outstanding!
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
That story changed my thinking
U.S. Nickels Complete Set with Major Varieties, Circulation Strikes
U.S. Dimes Complete Set with Major Varieties, Circulation Strikes
We'll use our hands and hearts and if we must we'll use our heads.
Thank you for sharing
W.C. Fields
I have helped a number of people here and in other areas and know it is my active participation in forums and websites, and my willingness to be of assistance to anyone asking that brought me this gift. Point is, be involved, meet the people, help in every way you feel comfortable, and a gift like Garry's kindness to me will eventually be returned.
I guess it's the golden rule in action - do unto others as you would like them to do unto you. I live by that - and sometimes it returns itself.
The Lincoln cent store:
http://www.lincolncent.com
My numismatic art work:
http://www.cdaughtrey.com
USAF veteran, 1986-1996 :: support our troops - the American way.
Capped Bust Half Series
Capped Bust Half Dime Series
Way to go Garry.
And thanks for sharing C.D.
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