For over 33 years our business has been filled with many stories. One story has stuck with me almost everyday; it tells what life is all about. It was a cold, winter day and business was slow. An older man came into the store and said he needed help. He told us that he and his family had no heat, no hot water and they needed some propane gas. This was a conversation we had with many customers this time of the year, but this was very different. He told us he had no money for it and he would never normally ask for such a favor but his family was cold. I was not sure what to do. He then went on to say he could come in and pay us when things got better for him. I admired him for wanting to take care of his family and for putting aside his pride to put them first.

I could never say no to him, there was something in him that I trusted. Truthfully, I didn’t know if we would see him again, but I hoped we would. About two weeks went by and he came in to settle up with us. He was so thankful and told us we would always be remembered for our kindness. It really should be us that are thankful. Thankful to Max for letting us treat him and his family as our friends. Max went on to be one of our best customers for years and later moved on with his family.

I’ll always remember this story because it really puts life into perspective. You should always take care of your family and treat everyone the way you would want to be treated. If you’re ever in our neighborhood and have time to stop in to say hello, please do.