The Kindness of Strangers
In prosperity our friends know us; in adversity we know our friends. ~ John Churton Collins
Being unable to get around by myself for several days was an eye-opening experience. There were certain people, whom I've known for a while now, I asked for help, expecting that they would be willing. I was quite surprised to find myself snubbed.
Even more surprising were the offers and assistance that I received from complete strangers; people whose names I didn't (and still don't) know. It has never been my nature to ask for help. I just work at something until I can do it by myself. Most people call that stubborn; I wouldn't disagree. But, with a fractured kneecap, there was no way to tough it out until I got the job done.
The night I got home from the hospital, full of morphine and exhausted, I tried to maneuver my new crutches to get up the stairs. The cabbie was smaller and thinner than I and, every time he tried to help, I nearly knocked him down. Two men, helping their mother move in, saw what was happening and, the minute I said "Excuse me?" they rushed over, picked me up, and carried me up the stairs. One even showed me how to use my crutches, while the other gestured vaguely in the direction of his mother's new apartment.
One night, not long after my accident and desperate for a cigarette, I decided that I was going to grab my crutches, hobble down the stairs, and walk over to the store. (See? Stubborn!) I made it about halfway down the stairs when a neighbor I'd never seen before stopped me to ask what, exactly, I was trying to do. In her opinion, walking to the store with a fractured knee was foolish, so she bundled me into her car and drove me over.
A couple of days later, out of cigarettes again and needing coffee more than life, I tried going to the store again. This time I got down the stairs and to the end of the sidewalk. As I was figuring out how to step down into the parking lot to continue my trek, a man and his friend came walking up. He, too, felt that I was in no shape to walk to the store, so after finding out what brand I smoke and where I live, he sent me back upstairs and took off the way he'd come. A few minutes later, he showed up with my cigarettes. (I ran into him, 2 days ago, as I was walking to the store for cat litter. He remembered me and said he was happy to see that I was doing better.)
Well, that took care of the cigarettes, but I was still dying for a cup of coffee. So, once again, after a day or two, I determined that I was going to get to the store. And, lo and behold, I did. Proud, but exhausted, I got my smokes and a small container of coffee. Now I had to walk back. (Amazing how short the trip seemed when I had 2 good legs!) Standing at the edge of the sidewalk (hmmm, seems like a pattern here), I stopped to bolster my resolve. A gentleman I hadn't noticed before, stopped and asked if I needed help. I assured him that I was just getting myself set for the walk home. Long story short, he gave me a ride and waited until I got to the top of the stairs before he drove away.
The day that Mark was supposed to come home, I was clomping down the stairs, about to try driving for the first time. I had just made it down the stairs when someone called to me from the upper landing. It seems he'd seen me the night I went to the hospital and wanted me to know that he was a nurse, living almost next door, and if I needed any help I should just let him know.
A month ago, I would have told you that there aren't any Good Samaritans left in this world. Today, I know differently.
Being unable to get around by myself for several days was an eye-opening experience. There were certain people, whom I've known for a while now, I asked for help, expecting that they would be willing. I was quite surprised to find myself snubbed.
Even more surprising were the offers and assistance that I received from complete strangers; people whose names I didn't (and still don't) know. It has never been my nature to ask for help. I just work at something until I can do it by myself. Most people call that stubborn; I wouldn't disagree. But, with a fractured kneecap, there was no way to tough it out until I got the job done.
The night I got home from the hospital, full of morphine and exhausted, I tried to maneuver my new crutches to get up the stairs. The cabbie was smaller and thinner than I and, every time he tried to help, I nearly knocked him down. Two men, helping their mother move in, saw what was happening and, the minute I said "Excuse me?" they rushed over, picked me up, and carried me up the stairs. One even showed me how to use my crutches, while the other gestured vaguely in the direction of his mother's new apartment.
One night, not long after my accident and desperate for a cigarette, I decided that I was going to grab my crutches, hobble down the stairs, and walk over to the store. (See? Stubborn!) I made it about halfway down the stairs when a neighbor I'd never seen before stopped me to ask what, exactly, I was trying to do. In her opinion, walking to the store with a fractured knee was foolish, so she bundled me into her car and drove me over.
A couple of days later, out of cigarettes again and needing coffee more than life, I tried going to the store again. This time I got down the stairs and to the end of the sidewalk. As I was figuring out how to step down into the parking lot to continue my trek, a man and his friend came walking up. He, too, felt that I was in no shape to walk to the store, so after finding out what brand I smoke and where I live, he sent me back upstairs and took off the way he'd come. A few minutes later, he showed up with my cigarettes. (I ran into him, 2 days ago, as I was walking to the store for cat litter. He remembered me and said he was happy to see that I was doing better.)
Well, that took care of the cigarettes, but I was still dying for a cup of coffee. So, once again, after a day or two, I determined that I was going to get to the store. And, lo and behold, I did. Proud, but exhausted, I got my smokes and a small container of coffee. Now I had to walk back. (Amazing how short the trip seemed when I had 2 good legs!) Standing at the edge of the sidewalk (hmmm, seems like a pattern here), I stopped to bolster my resolve. A gentleman I hadn't noticed before, stopped and asked if I needed help. I assured him that I was just getting myself set for the walk home. Long story short, he gave me a ride and waited until I got to the top of the stairs before he drove away.
The day that Mark was supposed to come home, I was clomping down the stairs, about to try driving for the first time. I had just made it down the stairs when someone called to me from the upper landing. It seems he'd seen me the night I went to the hospital and wanted me to know that he was a nurse, living almost next door, and if I needed any help I should just let him know.
A month ago, I would have told you that there aren't any Good Samaritans left in this world. Today, I know differently.
Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!
Jules
posted by JMarkAfghans @ 11:02 AM
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