Very generous of you and a fine example of how things should be done.  I will have to make sure that if we break down while on a trip we can limp over to your house.

Mark in AK

----- Original Message -----
From: Mike Collum <collum@VERIZON.NET>
Date: Monday, April 2, 2007 10:43 am
Subject: Re: Trip Report
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM

> Being a good Samaritan and placing blind trust, though sometimes
> unusual, isn't always that unusual.
>
> One night when I was out walking the dogs I saw a Westy pull into a
> semi-secluded neighborhood area so, after taking the dogs in, I walked
> over to them to offer coffee and breakfast before they drove out
> of town
> the following morning.  I explained that I too had a Westy and
> that I
> was less than 1/2 a block from where they were parked.
>
> They did stop in the next morning then drove on to Halifax.
>
> The next time they were in the US they stopped by briefly, went on to
> Boston, then stopped again on their way home.  This time, however,
> theywere pouring coolant from the water pump weep hole.  It was a long
> weekend and a water pump couldn't be had until the middle of the
> following week, they couldn't get a rental car and had to be back in
> Halifax for a scheduled flight to Europe.  We said, here, take our
> 2000Beetle, leave it in Halifax while you're in Europe and I'll
> get a water
> pump and install it while you're gone.
>
> Several weeks later they brought the Beetle back and picked up their
> Westy which was now ready to travel.  I only asked for the exact
> reimbursement of money for parts (no labor or charge for the
> Beetle) but
> they sent me a gift certificate for the Harraseeket Inn in Freeport,
> Maine.  I tore up the check they had given me for the cost of the pump
> and little hoses and to this day think, "They shouldn't have done
> that".
> Mike
> Houlton, Maine
>