James had never been this stressed in his life. He had exactly 30 minutes to reach a business meeting that could change everything. But fate had other plans—his car sputtered and died in the middle of a deserted road.
He stepped out, pacing, cursing under his breath. He tried restarting the car, but nothing worked. No mechanic in sight, no taxis passing by. He was stuck.
Then, out of nowhere, an old man with a slight limp appeared, pushing an old bicycle. His clothes were worn but clean, and his face carried a calmness that contrasted sharply with James’s frustration.
"Car trouble?" the man asked.
James sighed. "Yeah. I have a big meeting, and now I’m stuck."
The old man smiled. "Let me take a look."
James doubted this man could do anything, but he had no choice. He watched as the stranger peered under the hood, his fingers moving with the confidence of someone who had done this a thousand times.
"Try it now," the man finally said.
James turned the key. The engine roared to life.
His mouth dropped open. "How did you—?"
The old man chuckled. "Used to be a mechanic. Been fixing cars longer than you’ve been alive."
James felt a mix of relief and gratitude. "Thank you so much! How can I repay you?"
The old man shook his head. "No need. Just help someone else when they need it."
James made it to his meeting just in time. But the deal, the business—none of it mattered as much as the lesson he had learned: Kindness has a way of coming full circle.