Free Parking

If you are familiar with hockey, you might find it ironic that my kindness blog is about tonight’s game.  There is not a lot of love being spread around at most hockey games, especially one played between The New Jersey Devils and The Philadelphia Flyers.  Tonight’s game was no different.  Nearly SEVENTY minutes of penalties were given out during the sixty minute game.  Fights on the ice were breaking out every few minutes.  Rumor has it, some “unruly fans” had been escorted out of the arena as well.  Tonight’s game was a rough one, with very little kindness being witnessed!

The random act of kindness we witnessed actually occurred before the game.  My father has had season tickets to the Devils for over 20 years.  He always has had purchased parking passes in advance to go along with the tickets.  I say that I try not to let things bother me but the cost of parking at games, (or any similar event) has always infuriated me.  Tonight was no different.  Due to a ticket mix up, my dad was not sent one of his parking passes so tonight he needed to pay on the spot.  He decided that since it was so cold, he would attempt to park right at the arena in a parking garage, (usually the lot we park in is about two blocks away).  I did not think it was going to be possible – that lot is always sold out, (at $35 a car!!!!).  Sure enough we pulled up to the lot and were turned away.  We were about to head over to another lot, when a nice young man, (that makes me sound so old), came up to the car, and handed my father his parking permit for the parking garage.  My dad offered to pay for it and the man would not take any money for it.  He told us it was just going to go to waste so it was ours to use.  We all looked at each other knowing that now it is our turn to pay it forward.

So thank you to that anonymous young man who saved us from having to walk a few blocks in 17 degree weather.  We appreciate it!

Tagged: hockey, NJ Devils, parking, Philadelphia Flyers