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View Full Version : A nice story with a good ending.



Eckels
06-21-2004, 05:49 PM
Ok first the story.

Yesterday at work, a woman came into my store with half of a bedpost. It was a VERY intricately carved bedpost, about 4' tall. It was an ivy design, all hand carved, absolutely beautiful. I had never met the woman before, but she was very nice, and needed help repairing the post.

Her problem was, that she owns an antique store, and she had a customer come in, who was interested in buying this bed. (Seeing what half of this bed post looked like, I can only imagine how beautiful the rest of the bed was, and probably very expensive) The Antique Owner's customer said that they would purchase the bed if she could have it fixed by noon yesterday.

So she came in with the bed post, and the problem was, that this post screws together in pieces, but where it screwed together, the connecting rod had snapped in half.

So she needed the rod removed, and a new one made. Now, since this bed was an antique and probably from europe somewhere, the damned thing was metric, with fine threads. Luckily I had a bolt that would fit it, but it was a grade 8 (VERY HARD) bolt, with a head, so it took a bit of cutting with the grinder, and cleaning up on the wheel to get it to work right. I finished it all in about 20 minutes and she was ever so greatful. I was happy to help her.

Unlike most of our snobbish asshole rich yuppie customers she was very nice, and very thankful. So I charged her for the tools that I needed to use to get the bolt out, and the bolt, but I didn't bother charging her for the labor, since she was so nice about it. She told me she would come back tomorrow (today, monday) and bring me a gift from her store. I said ok thanks, kinda shrugged it off, and she left, very happy.

Today at work, she came in to give me the gift. I'll let you see it before I describe it. (The pictures are a little large to show the detail)

Picture 1 (http://eckels.afterblur.com/dragon/head.jpg)
Picture 2 (http://eckels.afterblur.com/dragon/front.jpg)
Picture 3 (http://eckels.afterblur.com/dragon/front2.jpg)
Picture 4 (http://eckels.afterblur.com/dragon/back.jpg)
Picture 5 (http://eckels.afterblur.com/dragon/back2.jpg)

It's hand carved out of mahogany, and stands about 10" tall. It's in perfect condition, and is abosolutely beautiful. I looked around on the internet, and found similar looking ones, but smaller, for sale for 100$+

These pictures don't really do it justice, it's an absolutely beautiful piece, and I was speechless when she gave it to me. How she knew i like dragons, I'll never know. I guess everyone likes dragons. But she gave it to me in a very nice way, telling me how it's meant to be a symbol of good fortune and should bring me luck. :)

Anyways, she sold the bed, and everything worked perfectly. She's happy, her customer is happy, and now, I'm happy. What a great day :)

Samson007
06-21-2004, 06:07 PM
Wow thats really cool. See, good things do happen to good people.

Archibaldo
06-21-2004, 06:12 PM
Nice, I guess good things do happen to good poeple.

Rainman
06-21-2004, 06:12 PM
Damn cool dragon. Every once in a while, good deeds do pay off.

*b*
06-21-2004, 07:49 PM
wow, now that's a cool piece of wood. no, seriously, that's awsome

that was nice of you to not charge her for the work. great day indeed

Shadowblazer
06-21-2004, 09:01 PM
Damn cool dragon. Every once in a while, good deeds do pay off. Yes, but don't go using that as an excuse to start helping people. Nine times out of ten... nay, ninety-nine times out of a hundred, you don't get shit out of it. Better to just say fuck it and let people fend for themselves. Unless, of course, they promise you something beforehand. Then you can be reasonably sure that it'll be worth your time. If it turns out they were lying, you can beat the hell out of them. Either way, you win.

Jigglysaint
06-21-2004, 11:17 PM
I know my mother would love one of those things.

The trouble with good deeds is that you do it without anything in return, but most people are conditioned to expect rewards, or only do it for money. I can certainly understand why one would not go out of their way to be extra helpful to any rich yuppie snob, but I guess how we treat those we do not like is partly the secret to success. Besides, they COULD end up being nice, by guilt if not anything else.

Still, that's a cool story and a cool gift you got.

biggiy05
06-21-2004, 11:52 PM
I love dragons they are awesome i collect anything with a dragon on it that i think looks good. That is truly amazing i cant believe the workmanship on that dragon that is an item that has so much sentimental value no price can be put on it.

Manny
06-22-2004, 12:04 AM
Dragons are amazing and that beast looks incredible. Goes to show you that a lil kindness goes a long way in this world. Love the dragon, wish i had one like, makin me jealous now :p

vegeta1215
06-22-2004, 12:24 AM
Very nice story, and very cool looking dragon.

So what are you gonna do with it? Have any ideas on where you're going to put it in your house? Thinking about painting it or finishing it?

biggiy05
06-22-2004, 02:25 AM
painting it or finishing it? Your outta your mind i would leave it just how it is the piece could be worth alot of money you just dont know it.

Rainman
06-22-2004, 01:30 PM
Yes, but don't go using that as an excuse to start helping people. Nine times out of ten... nay, ninety-nine times out of a hundred, you don't get shit out of it. Better to just say fuck it and let people fend for themselves. Unless, of course, they promise you something beforehand. Then you can be reasonably sure that it'll be worth your time. If it turns out they were lying, you can beat the hell out of them. Either way, you win.
I agree whole heartedly. The statement was more out of shock than anything.

obi
06-22-2004, 06:29 PM
OMG
that is very sweet!
and from your story, its a well earned gift :)

you lucky &%#@$ :P

moocow
06-22-2004, 07:26 PM
That is the coolest hand carved dragon I've ever seen. My Great Grandpa used to hand carve things. Mostly horses, and he almost always used Oak (to my knowledge). When I was a year old, he built me a toy box and glued a hand carved horse on the front of it (of course, one side was flat, :p). He also did glass etching...

If a small dragon like that is around $100, I can only imagine what that one's worth. Especially carved from mahogany... I'm jealous. I can't own things like that, stuff always gets broken, no matter where I put it...

Bloodstar64
06-22-2004, 09:48 PM
Holy shit, Eckels, That is one KICKASS dragon....

/me wanty...