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The Kindness of Strangers

When I was growing up in Hawaii there was a man who used to walk along the main highway pushing a shopping cart. Everyone in town recognized him because at one time or another they had all driven by him… and his shopping cart. No one seemed to know the man’s real name; rather we just called him “Cart Man.” I thought about him the other day when I read about a similar man, who lives in a suburb not to far from where I currently reside in Wisconsin.

Benjamin Steinbach is an 85-year-old man who used his riding lawn mower to get around town. You could usually find him riding his lawn mower on sidewalks as he completed his errands. Like the “Cart Man” in Hawaii, Steinbach was simply known as the “Mower Man” and became a recognized figure in the community. Then, not long ago, a shocking discovery—“Mower Man” had a real name and a story to go along with his unusual mode of transportation.

A local television station profiled Steinbach who said that he had been forced to use the lawnmower since the state took away his driver’s license two years ago (due to health reasons). He has been a familiar sight in the suburb ever since; making trips to the supermarket, hardware store and City Hall on board his riding lawnmower. According to news reports, local police could simply not ignore his sidewalk rides anymore and laid down the law. (State law prohibits the use of riding lawn mowers on sidewalks. The only vehicles allowed on sidewalks are motorized scooters, wheelchairs and the new Segways.) Steinbach had essentially been sidelined… until yesterday.

After seeing his story on television, an anonymous donor offered Steinbach the use of a motorized scooter. According to police, a woman purchased a motorized scooter for her mother, but said her mother barely used it. When she heard about Steinbach’s situation she felt compelled to offer it to him. A local paper reported that initially Steinbach was reluctant to accept the generous donation. However, he later told reporters: “I think I should accept it. Then I can drive on the sidewalk.”

Police have gone on to say: “It’s a great opportunity to help a longtime member of the community.” And I think most of us around here would agree. We are all happy for Steinbach and happier still that in a world of shootings, terror plots, and general evil—there are some kind souls willing to lend a hand to those in need.

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About Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism. She spent the next ten years as a television anchor and reporter at various stations throughout the country (from the CBS affiliate in Honolulu to the NBC affiliate in Green Bay). She has won numerous honors including an Emmy Award and multiple Edward R. Murrow awards honoring outstanding achievements in broadcast journalism. In addition, she has received awards from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association for her reports on air travel and the Wisconsin Education Association Council for her stories on education. Michele has since left television to concentrate on being a mom and freelance writer.