Mzee
Grey Hound
So last Saturday I woke up early to go looking for a Mitas E07 tyre. I ended up in Midrand (Centurion), waited in the queue and had a rear Mitas E07 fitted on my bike. Time to pay, I swipe my card, then swipe again and each time it reads declined. I knew there was a handsome balance in the card, for I had even checked in the morning. I remained cool, but all kinds of thought were running through my mind.
I decided to try an ATM to verify my balance. Lo and behold, there was nothing in there except R1500. I managed to stay on my feet withdrew that amount and simply told Just Tyres that I had no money. I was honest. In the circumstances it was the best I could do regardless of whether they believed me or not. It was the truth and I was not trying to get a tyre through the back door.
The long and short of the story is that they told me to pay when I can. It was already 2:00pm. I was exhausted and just wanting to get home. So grateful to God, I departed.
But that was not the end of the story, the plot thickened. I had ridden on reserve with the understanding that I would fill up on my way back. Now I have no money; I have more than fifty km to go on less than a litter of petrol. I come down N1 and decided to take a short cut through Sandton, saying to my self if I run out of petrol, it would not be on the highway. But I got lost in Sandton tyring to take the shortest exit out. I had no GPS and by now my fuel is dangerously low.
I came round a bend and spotted a VW Golf of SAPS, perhaps a police patrol car, parked outside a gate. I was so relieved and this is the reason: I rode up to the officer sitting behind the wheel; I paid my respects, and simply asked him for 20 rand for petrol. He looked me, looked at my bike and looked at me again. He said did not have 20 rand. He looked at me and looked at my bike some more and paused. I looked in his eyes and said, I was not trying to fleece him of his money. I was genuinely in need. He looked at me and looked at my bike some more and gently wiped out a 20 rand bill note from his wallet and handed it to me. I looked him in the eyes and told him, he will get much more than he has given me. I thanked him and departed with song and laughter in my heart certain I would get home.
My sincere and heartfelt gratitude and commendation to the staff of Just Tyres in Centurion (Midrand) for their human face. I subsequently paid them by EFT and went back in person to thank them. They said in their experience, bikers are honest people and that is why they trusted that I could bring the money. Can we keep this good image of bikers pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease!
My deep gratitude and Commendation to the South African Police Service (probably a Sandton Branch) for having decent officer with a human face. And I prayed for him that he truly gets much more either as a promotion or some other way. :ricky: Good people around us invariably make life pleasant and worth living.
I decided to try an ATM to verify my balance. Lo and behold, there was nothing in there except R1500. I managed to stay on my feet withdrew that amount and simply told Just Tyres that I had no money. I was honest. In the circumstances it was the best I could do regardless of whether they believed me or not. It was the truth and I was not trying to get a tyre through the back door.
The long and short of the story is that they told me to pay when I can. It was already 2:00pm. I was exhausted and just wanting to get home. So grateful to God, I departed.
But that was not the end of the story, the plot thickened. I had ridden on reserve with the understanding that I would fill up on my way back. Now I have no money; I have more than fifty km to go on less than a litter of petrol. I come down N1 and decided to take a short cut through Sandton, saying to my self if I run out of petrol, it would not be on the highway. But I got lost in Sandton tyring to take the shortest exit out. I had no GPS and by now my fuel is dangerously low.
I came round a bend and spotted a VW Golf of SAPS, perhaps a police patrol car, parked outside a gate. I was so relieved and this is the reason: I rode up to the officer sitting behind the wheel; I paid my respects, and simply asked him for 20 rand for petrol. He looked me, looked at my bike and looked at me again. He said did not have 20 rand. He looked at me and looked at my bike some more and paused. I looked in his eyes and said, I was not trying to fleece him of his money. I was genuinely in need. He looked at me and looked at my bike some more and gently wiped out a 20 rand bill note from his wallet and handed it to me. I looked him in the eyes and told him, he will get much more than he has given me. I thanked him and departed with song and laughter in my heart certain I would get home.
My sincere and heartfelt gratitude and commendation to the staff of Just Tyres in Centurion (Midrand) for their human face. I subsequently paid them by EFT and went back in person to thank them. They said in their experience, bikers are honest people and that is why they trusted that I could bring the money. Can we keep this good image of bikers pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease!
My deep gratitude and Commendation to the South African Police Service (probably a Sandton Branch) for having decent officer with a human face. And I prayed for him that he truly gets much more either as a promotion or some other way. :ricky: Good people around us invariably make life pleasant and worth living.
