A stranger does the right thing

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

Not long ago I came home to see my mailbox had been run over and destroyed. No note on the door, just tire tracks. This, of course, was in the winter with the ground frozen so it was no small chore to get a new post drilled down into the turf and new mailbox affixed. Actually, I view that as part of life, a first world problem. Disappointing but not the end of the world. A neighbor said he did happen to be out front and saw a young man driving wayyyy too fast with his cell phone propped on top of the steering wheel watching gps he thought. Then the neighbor watched him go up over the curb, smack the mailbox, swerve back onto the road and run the stop sign as he left the area.

I convinced myself the mailbox was getting old (it wasn't) and besides nobody got hurt. I forget about it and life goes on. A month later I go out to get the mail and am mystified. Inside the mailbox is a bulging white envelope with no writing on the outside. "What the??" I hold it up to the sun / squish it a bit... "Hmmm, have no idea..." I open it up and it is stuffed with $20.00 bills - a total of $300.00. No note inside or anything, just the money. Oh, my gosh - this is for the mailbox! Well, well, well - somebody really impressed me there and MORE than made up for the cost of materials and effort involved. He went beyond what my expense was big time.

So I told the First Mate that I have identified a new profit center. We shall erect a dozen mailboxes along the curb and sit back and collect the cash.

 

[ackvil]

You were lucky. Years ago I lived in a rural area of NJ (yes, NJ has some rural areas). My house was situated 450 feet from the road so it was hard to hear what was happening on the road. It seems some young folks thought it would be fun to take a baseball bat and take a whack and destroy mailboxes. After losing two mailboxes to these vandals I found some mailboxes and posts that were advertised in Yankee Magazine. They were made of galvanized steel and according to the manufacturer were indestructible. I ordered them and when they arrived I was amazed at how heavy they were. I had to dig an enormous hole and fill it with concrete to set the post and mailbox. That weekend I was on my tractor when I heard a crash. I saw two teenagers fell off the motorcycle they were riding with a baseball bat on the ground next to them. It seems they were riding going from one house to another to smash the mailboxes. When they got to mine, they took a whack and it did not give way. The impact caused them to lose control and they fell off of the motorcycle. One boy had a broken arm and the motorcycle was damaged. When the police came they had another surprise. The damage they caused was sufficient for them to be charged with a felony. Within the month all of my neighbors put up similar mailboxes.

 

[trentr]

LOL. Now that is a plan. I have replaced a few mailboxes in my time. Some take a lot of work when they are more than just a plain post. But the way I was raised, you broke it you are responsible for fix/replacement. No matter if you are "caught" or naught. Good to hear people own up to there mistakes and making it right.

 

[trentr]

You were lucky. Years ago I lived in a rural area of NJ (yes, NJ has some rural areas). My house was situated 450 feet from the road so it was hard to hear what was happening on the road. It seems some young folks thought it would be fun to take a baseball bat and take a whack and destroy mailboxes. After losing two mailboxes to these vandals I found some mailboxes and posts that were advertised in Yankee Magazine. They were made of galvanized steel and according to the manufacturer were indestructible. I ordered them and when they arrived I was amazed at how heavy they were. I had to dig an enormous hole and fill it with concrete to set the post and mailbox. That weekend I was on my tractor when I heard a crash. I saw two teenagers fell off the motorcycle they were riding with a baseball bat on the ground next to them. It seems they were riding going from one house to another to smash the mailboxes. When they got to mine, they took a whack and it did not give way. The impact caused them to lose control and they fell off of the motorcycle. One boy had a broken arm and the motorcycle was damaged. When the police came they had another surprise. The damage they caused was sufficient for them to be charged with a felony. Within the month all of my neighbors put up similar mailboxes.

Around here anyway, I believe bashing a mailbox is considered a federal offense. I know some of my class mates were placing pipe bombs in mail boxes. They thought they were having a blast until they caught and found out it is more serious than a $20 Walmart mailbox.

 

[Billski]

You were lucky. And I am surprised to read such a story. $300.00 is a lot of money. It must have been a Christian person.

 

[Stuart Ganis]

Not long ago I came home to see my mailbox had been run over and destroyed. No note on the door, just tire tracks. This, of course, was in the winter with the ground frozen so it was no small chore to get a new post drilled down into the turf and new mailbox affixed. Actually, I view that as part of life, a first world problem. Disappointing but not the end of the world. A neighbor said he did happen to be out front and saw a young man driving wayyyy too fast with his cell phone propped on top of the steering wheel watching gps he thought. Then the neighbor watched him go up over the curb, smack the mailbox, swerve back onto the road and run the stop sign as he left the area.

I convinced myself the mailbox was getting old (it wasn't) and besides nobody got hurt. I forget about it and life goes on. A month later I go out to get the mail and am mystified. Inside the mailbox is a bulging white envelope with no writing on the outside. "What the??" I hold it up to the sun / squish it a bit... "Hmmm, have no idea..." I open it up and it is stuffed with $20.00 bills - a total of $300.00. No note inside or anything, just the money. Oh, my gosh - this is for the mailbox! Well, well, well - somebody really impressed me there and MORE than made up for the cost of materials and effort involved. He went beyond what my expense was big time.

So I told the First Mate that I have identified a new profit center. We shall erect a dozen mailboxes along the curb and sit back and collect the cash.

Captain, that wasn't for your mailbox, I put the money in the box for more soaps and bowls. Please send me $300.00 worth of products. Thank you..

Sent from my SM-T387V using Tapatalk

 

[ackvil]

Captain, that wasn't for your mailbox, I put the money in the box for more soaps and bowls. Please send me $300.00 worth of products. Thank you..

Sent from my SM-T387V using Tapatalk

For the win!

 

[Toothpick]

Nice! Good on them for doing the right thing, even if it was a month later.

I was riding with my brother to a friends house when we were younger. In IL, actively snowing with about 4 inches already on the ground. We turn in to our friends neighborhood where were are clearly the first car since it started snowing and slide right in to the first mailbox. Nothing distracting my bro, just ice under the snow and taking the turn to fast. I wanted to stop but he just drives off to our friends house. I’m like “dude, they can easily follow the tracks!”.

And when we get there and tell the story our friend says the same thing...”so you just drove right here??”. I‘m pretty sure our friends parents ended up paying for it because he said they found out about it. Gee, I wonder how??

 

[FoolishMortal]

You were lucky. And I am surprised to read such a story. $300.00 is a lot of money. It must have been a Christian person.

Why?

@Captain Pre-Capsize , I'm happy to hear that you had a positive outcome! It's affirming when people surprise you in a good way.

 

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

Captain, that wasn't for your mailbox, I put the money in the box for more soaps and bowls. Please send me $300.00 worth of products. Thank you..

Sent from my SM-T387V using Tapatalk

 

[KeenDogg]

Great person to make it right.

 

[never-stop-learning]

All people occasionally stub their toes.

Good people find a way to make it right.

Great story.

 

[2Vu5_T]

Great story.

 

[rbscebu]

You were lucky. And I am surprised to read such a story. $300.00 is a lot of money. It must have been a Christian person.

In the Philippines I find Muslims much more honest than christians. Whenever I have needed help, it has been Muslims that helped me first.

 

[fistofthenorthstar]

What a great story!

You were lucky. And I am surprised to read such a story. $300.00 is a lot of money. It must have been a Christian person.

LOL! I would rather think it was a person who has the heart in the right place and also has the necessary change.

 

[njpaddy]

That was mighty nice of him. Too bad towns don't reimburse for mailboxes their plows destroy. 10 years ago I replaced a broken one with this. While it wouldn't stand up to a direct car hit, ice, snowplows and wind don't bother it. During blizzards or hurricanes I can easily lift off the top section with the box and put it in the shed. My wife likes it because she doesn't have to step onto the road to get the mail. She stands in the driveway and swivels it.

Impact Resistant Rotating Mailbox Post System

Vandal resistant, snowplow resistant mailbox post that installs without digging. Heavy duty.

www.returntocentermailbox.com

 

[Post_Shave]

After our mailbox got snapped off for the 2nd time, my dad rebuilt it with a hinge on the 4x4 post at about “hood height” And a little cut on the other side. Only got knocked over 1 more time.