It sounds like a classic set-up for a Bruce Springsteen song: over the weekend, a man was cruising down the New Jersey highway when his motorcycle sputtered out, leaving him marooned on the side of the road outside the town of Freehold.
Only the guy in the story was The Boss himself.
A group of veterans spotted the stranded rock star and musical poet, with no idea initially who he was. Freehold American Legion riders Dan Barkalow and Bob Grigs, along with their friend Ryan Bailey, pulled over to assist the stranger – and quickly realised who they were dealing with.
After Springsteen’s dead battery wouldn’t charge, he hopped on the back of one of the Legion riders’ motorcycles and rode to a nearby bar in Farmingdale. The Boss bought everyone a round of beers while he waited for his ride to pick him up.
Springsteen, who has another Australian tour slated for early next year, even took down the numbers of his new buddies to schedule a potential reunion ride. What else would you expect from the soul behind Into The Fire?
While the opportunity to pal around with a rock legend is enough motivation for being a good Samaritan, there are other big benefits. Lending a hand lengthens your life, strengthens your relationships, lowers your levels of sadness and promotes a sense of wellbeing, according to a research review in the journal BMC Public Health.
Turns out altruism isn’t about sacrifice; it’s a healthy psychological reward system that makes you feel better while helping others as well, the researchers say. And if you happen to assist a celebrity on the side of the road? Well, you’ll also have the ultimate party story for the rest of your life.
