It was a chance encounter -- one of those Celestine Prophecy moments that happen now and again. I was in the right place, at the right time, with the right need. A seemingly casual conversation with a lady I didn't know -- turned into something extraordinary.
It began with a phone call. My youngest daughter told me she had some good news and some bad news. My stomach turned. The good news was she went skiing; she had a great time, and was lookin' good in her new outfit. The bad news was that she fell. She broke her foot in three places, tore the ligaments, and she'd have to have surgery. She couldn't handle this by herself, so I drove to Baltimore to help.
Her bedroom and bathroom are on the second floor. The main floor consists of a living room, dining room, kitchen and a half-bath. We'd have to move some furniture. We'd probably have to rent a hospital bed and figure out where to put it. A light bulb! One of her roommates remembered he had a box-spring and mattress in the basement. He brought it upstairs and it went into the dining room. No need to rent a bed now. Problem solved.
By the time I arrived, she was getting around pretty good on crutches. Being drugged to the max after surgery would make it difficult for her to use just the crutches. She was going to need a walker. No one knew anyone who had one. It would be impossible to find a medical supply store that was open on a Sunday afternoon. Okay. That's a problem. We'd have to figure out what to do later.
She had to have some groceries and other supplies. Better get those now. All I needed was a list and directions to the grocery store. There was a big discussion about how to get there. I left with sketchy directions. Go to the light. Make a left. Go maybe three or five miles or so. You'll see the Broadway Diner. Get in the left lane; make a left at the light. It's right there. You can't miss it. I was totally out of my element -- driving in the pouring rain -- in an unfamiliar city. I was surprised it was so easy to find the store.
I parked the car and went in with my list. I was wet from the rain. The cart I grabbed had a bad wheel. I didn't know the lay-out. It took me a long time to find everything I needed. I was distracted. I was still stewing about how to find a walker. By the time I got to the check-out line, I was worn out.
There were two young women in front of me in the line. The store clerk and the women were chit-chatting about some restaurant. I was busy unloading all the stuff from the cart. I wasn't paying close attention. After they left, the checker asked me if I'd put the "This Aisle Closed" sign at the end of the conveyor. I did.
As she was ringing up the groceries, she asked me if I knew about that restaurant. No, I told her, I didn't. I told her I didn't live there and that I was just visiting.
She looked back at the huge mound of groceries and said, "Oh? It looks like you're going to be visiting for quite a while." She got me. We connected. I laughed and told her she was right. She asked me where I was from and what I was doing there. I told her the story.
She was very sympathetic and said she was sorry to hear about our situation. Then she told me that she, too, had broken her foot. It was a difficult time for her. She needed lots of help. She wondered if we had all the equipment -- a hospital bed, a walker, crutches, etc. I told her about the makeshift arrangement we made in the dining room and that my daughter had crutches.
She asked if I had a walker for her. I told her no, not yet. She said she had one. She said she'd be glad to lend it to me for as long as my daughter needed it. She could bring it with her when she came into work. I could pick it up after the surgery. She said she'd give me her cell phone number and told me to call her. She wanted me to let her know how the surgery went and afterwards, I could come to the store to get the walker.
She told me later on, my daughter would need a rolling walker to get around and she had one of those too. She'd be happy to lend her that one as well. She looked at me and asked, "Would that help you?"
I was stunned. It took me a few minutes to comprehend what just happened. I had been so worried about finding a walker and suddenly -- a total stranger -- stepped into my life out of the blue and took care of that for me. I couldn't believe it. She blew me away.
My Good Samaritan's name is Mary Barbara. I accepted her generous offer. Having those two walkers has made all the difference in my daughter's recovery.
The next time a total stranger strikes up a conversation with you -- you'll remember this story. Don't be surprised if something unexpected happens. Sometimes, good things happen when you least expect them. You, too, may be a recipient of a stranger's random act of kindness. Even better -- you may have an opportunity to be a Good Samaritan to someone else in need.
