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Chip Brown.

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Good Deeds

There are a few things that are a constant in life, such as death, taxes and the gnawing fear that you're going to be audited. You can add to that list that if Chip does a good deed someone is going to get harmed.

Somewhere in life I ran over a witch's foot with my car and have been cursed ever since. Seems the more I try to do good, the worse things turn out. It's been that way for years.

The other day, I was at Railroad Salvage with my dad. We go through the whole place looking around, as I had never been in there before. In all the junk that we could have bought, dad finds a toilet seat. Not just any toilet seat but a seat that he simply can't live without. Now dad explains to me that when one buys something at Railroad Salvage, one must open it and check for damage, as they don't allow returns.

He unwraps his toilet seat and finds it in good repair, tosses the box and pays the lady $3. Well, Railroad Salvage is downtown and as anyone who goes to downtown Knoxville knows, you have to park two miles from where you're going. There we were walking down the streets of Knoxville, two men carrying a toilet seat. Sort of like two homeless guys carrying their only possession.

This car pulls up with two women inside. I'm sure they want to ask us where we purchased our lovely toilet seat, but no, they needed directions. Dad had stopped to talk to these two guys sitting on the sidewalk and here I was talking to these two women alone.

They wanted to know where the Lays Packing Company was. Well, I looked around and didn't see it nearby, so I gave them directions to somewhere else. Now granted, I had no idea where the Lays Packing Company was, but I didn't see it around there, so I figured sending them somewhere else was the least I could do. Hey don't get mad at me, remember if you are lost and need directions two guys walking down a road with a toilet seat shouldn't be your first choice of people to ask.

Later that week I was driving down the highway toward Halls. Going up Copper Ridge on the four lane I saw this young man walking along with a gas can. I pulled over and offered him a lift. Gratefully, he got in with his red can of gas. He tells me that he ran out down the road and had to walk two miles back to the gas station. I got him back to his car where his friend was waiting and pulled over.

I expressed to him, as he got out, that I hoped his luck got better. He thanked me and shut the door. As I drove away, I looked back to see him and his friend waving at me, I returned their wave. I began to think just how uncommon it is for people to help others these days. I began to think, "Chip you're not a bad sort."

Somewhere about six or seven miles further on I noticed the young man had left his gas in my car. Come to think of it, they were waving awfully hard. In fact, now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure they were chasing me.

I know what your're thinking, but no I went back. I didn't have that much to do and could spare the time. I was passed by a firetruck as I drove along, so it was worthwhile. I love to watch firetrucks and if I hadn't turned back I would have missed this one.

Then as I approached the place I had left the young men, I saw them beating their car furiously with their coats. Just up the street the firetruck had pulled over and was unreeling hose. As I slowed, I could see a milk jug under the hood and the motor was on fire. Apparently the young man had went back for more gas. And also apparent was the fact they had lit their car afire with it.

I figured they didn't need this gallon of gas as their car was sufficiently burning on the gas they had. I drove off lamenting over how everything goes wrong for me, and began to get depressed.

Then, as I thought about the greater scheme of things I realized my life could be worse. I could have ran out of gas, walked three miles to get some only to have it stolen from me. Made another three mile trip for more gas, and then burn my car down.

Yes, I guess in fact that those two boys were having a worse day than me. I began to smile again and look for my next person to help.

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