Mr. Perry has a simply amazing story to tell about his selfless acts of kindness that were not even repaid with an effusive thank you. I'm really saddened and maddened by all this. I, like Mr. Perry, have done all sorts of bike favors for locals who have old steel bikes, including helping them purchase old bikes and then helping them fix them up at no charge. In repayment I have not only received lots of thank yous but also free parts, gifts of fresh garden herbs and vegetables, made good friends and riding partners, free old jerseys, had good conversation and lots of good karma. In addition list members of whose names I can and others I can not even remember have sent me free parts, good advice, invited me over to their houses and invited me into their inner circles. My suggestion to Mr. Perry is to continue being a good guy. I suspect he is only a victim of a temporary run of bad luck. The inner world of old steel is much better than that ... for the most part.
Garth Libre in Miami Fl. USA