Charity tempered with naivete

So, you know I put a HUGE gash in the passenger side of my car a few months ago. It got dented in several places and two long stripes of paint are missing which can be found on the handicap assist rail at Silverstate Credit Union. A couple of days ago, (after going to the gym with Alex - yeah for keeping up with new #5 of to do's) I was in the parking lot of Baha Fresh when a truck drove up. The driver - an older latino man with one of his front teeth missing - told me he could repair my dent. He works at a body shop that specializes in non-paint repair dents. Not only could he get it back to it's normal shape, but I wouldn't have to pay him until it was done AND he could finish the job right here in the lot in under 30 minutes. I told him I had somewhere to be, but he persisted. He explained that today was his day off and he need to do extra work to pay rent for him and his three kids. He insisted the work would look good and he would save me hundreds of dollars by only charging me $480. I told him I was sure that was a great deal, but I didn't have that kind of money to throw around; he lowered the price to $380. I told him I was greatful for the offer, but I couldn't justify even spending that much. In desperation, he said he could do it for $280 - he just really needed the money. So, I let him fix the car.

He popped out the majority of the dents by releasing the buckle of the frame with a crowbar inserted into the door. He sprayed rust-away type stuff and covered the deep scratches with a bond-o type substance. I got back from getting water to find my silver Ford Taurus in good shape but looking like it had been vandalized by blind grafitti artists. He showed me that it would all come off by rubbing some of the brown spray off while it was still wet, but I would have to let it set for 24-hours. I got his money from the ATM, and he drove off aparently feeling that I should have tipped him more for his work.

Now, several days later, I tried to wash the car. The bond-o stuff scraped off in the areas where the heat had begun to melt the bond, but the brown rust-off and the majority of the white patches wouldn't budge. A neighbor saw me willing the car to be clean while I rubbed and scratched, and he told me that a propane-based substance like gasoline or lighter fluid should do the trick. I would of course have to clean the car thoroughly before venturing out into my flamable world. Tomorrow I will try his solution.

While telling this story to family and friends I have gotten responses in the vein of you-should-have-known-better. They don't feel that the nearly $300 were well spent for only a moderate cosmetic procedure. I, on the other hand, am just happy that he was able to work an honest trade to get my money. I feel good having helped him support his family. I may be a little naive, but I'll take naive over cynical any day.