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Inspirational Reads

Time to Move On

November 21, 2009


I did something today that I haven't done in...a really long time. In fact, upon racking my brain for all of fifteen seconds, I couldn't think of the last time when I did this.

I didn't try to watch the beginning of the Notre Dame game.

I just couldn't bring myself to it. I worked in the yard early this afternoon, and then I went to get some food for the abbreviated week. On the ride home, I turned the radio on and discovered that ND kicked at 2:30 instead of 3:30 like I thought (you know, like they've done all season). And then when I got home, I put away the groceries and went back outside with the kids. I cleaned up my mess, swept off the driveway, and then we cooked some chicken. Finally, the chicken was done and it was too cold to stay outside, so we came in, about halfway through the third quarter.

I then sat down and watched the rest of what was the perfect topper for this farce of a season. I wish I could say I was upset at the outcome (Connecticut won in double overtime, 33-27), but instead I sat there and watched the final drive with quiet resignation. A season that had me so geeked and excited has turned to sadness and the quiet acceptance of yet another underpreformance. Pretty much the hallmark of Charlie Weis' tenure as the head coach of Notre Dame football.

Anyway...

I did a good deed today. I only say this because it's a bit unusual for me. I went to Target to get the groceries (as I mentioned earlier) and when I loaded them and the kids into the car, a woman approached me and asked if I could give her a ride to the north side of town. She gave me some sad story about having to buy a shirt and that she didn't have money for bus fare and she didn't want to walk.

And as my mind churned over all the excuses I could give her as to why I couldn't give her a ride, in my mind's eye I saw her walking up the rather busy road that takes you to Duke's stadia (football and basketball). And then I thought of my wife's friend Eric who was killed a month and a half ago trying to cross a busy road, and all I could see was this young woman lying in the middle of one of the roads with her life cut tragically, violently short as well. My heart broke and I relented.

Well, she was very nice. She talked to my kids, she told me I had a very nice car, that I seemed like a very nice person, that she wouldn't have asked but she knew I was a good person because of the way I acted with my kids. It all made me feel good...in a Becky the Usurper sort of way. I took her to her place of work and let her out and wished her a Happy Thanksgiving. She smiled and thanked me and wished me the same.


I won't lie. It was probably a very irresponsible thing to do, and I was a little nervous to do it. But, when she got to work safely and, more importantly, my kids and I left the parking lot, I felt a lot better.

And then I kind of hated myself for assuming she was going to slit my throat while we were driving.

Oh well. I'm alive and she's alive and my conscience is a whole lot lighter because I actually helped someone out who was in need of some assistance. It's a far cry from Batman, but then I'm also not the head of a mutli-billion dollar industry.

Now, on to more important issues: anyone know if the tuna up there can coach football?

15 comments:

Raine said...

giving someone a ride is such an important spur of the moment judgement call. you have to totally prejudge someone. Im glad it worked out for you ;D

adrienzgirl said...

I had a similar experience. Thursday evening, I was relaxing in the tub, getting ready to go to see New Moon with the hubs. He came in and said there is a young girl at the door asking if I can drive her a couple of streets over. (We live in BFE.) Not really safe at night for a young woman.

I told him to tell her if she waited a few minutes I would drive her. Not that I don't trust my hubs. It just isn't safe. God only knows what some teenage drama queen can come up with, ya know?

Turns out, her dad works nights and left with her backpack in his truck. Which also had her key to the house. He couldn't leave work. Told her to sleep in the barn?!? Crazy right? She walked to my house, in the dark. CRAZY!

I drove her to her brother's house several blocks away. She thanked me and told me she knew she would be safe because I have a teenage daughter who goes to the same school.

I felt good about helping her. But I also wrote down the streets and directions to where I dropped her off in case I saw her face on the local news.

Sad right!?

Heather said...

Sorry the ND's are having such a tough year. If it was the NFL I would say that coach is outta here, but those colleges don't get rid of them that easily.

That was a great thing you did spending time with the fam instead of being consumed with the tv.

I guess I got scared off from giving rides to strangers, I used to all the time. I once gave this guy walking the freeway a ride. He never tried to hurt me but his demeaner was the scariest I had ever encountered. I haven't done it since.

Alex said...

You know what? Sometimes NORMAL people need help. I keep forgetting that. Props to you for helping. Karma....

Mala said...

OMG was that girl crazy?! Doesn't she know it's always the quiet "normal" looking guys who are the freaky-deakies! Geesh!

...did you share any of your TMI Thursday stories with her? huh? huh?

I kid. Mighty nice of you Jenksy.

Eric said...

That was a close game, but I hate it when the team is so far gone it doesn't matter.

Just happy we have 'Maximus' Brown at UT...

Scope said...

Charlie is toast.
Jimmy is leaving (but he really does need another year of college ball under his belt.)
Golden is gone, too.

Looks like my Saturdays will be fairly open next fall.

And I guess since I get hit up 3 or 4 times a day by usually the same set of people for money, I'm not sure how I would have reacted in that situation. I may have just given her cab/bus fare.

Elliott said...

Raine is right, you're called upon to make a total judgement about someone's entire life just to offer that ride.

In the cold of Wisconsin winters, I've jump-started cars for people in daylight and once in the middle of the night, in a dark back parking lot, and the woman invited me up to her hotel room 'to warm up' while giving me the 'arm touch'. Who works in an office and stays at the hotel down the road? Um, pass, even if I wasn't engaged and in love. Thanks, anyway.

erin said...

Driving home from a bar one night my ex sister in law picked up a middle aged lady walking down a busy highway, in an Arby's uniform so obviously on the way home from work. The lady was coughing and super sick seeming and my s-i-l felt pretty good about giving her a ride home from work. She caught a terrible flu two days later....then three days after that on her way to work after being super sick found a $50 between the seats of her car.

carissajade said...

Well I'm certainly happy you came out of this one unscathed. I never know how to feel about these situations. I'm always a little tempted to pick up hitchhikers... but then the paranoid part of my brain takes over. But then what if I was stranded somewhere... wouldn't I want someone to trust me!?

June said...

Kudos to you for helping even if it was risky. As Alex said, even normal people need help.

Samsmama said...

Good for you! I can't say I'd have done the same thing, but I'm a scaredy cat and a total wimp. So there ya go.

Pearl said...

We rolls the dice and we takes our chances.

:-)

Pearl

Tennyson ee Hemingway said...

you can get groceries from Target? How long has this been going on?

Joshua said...

I thought Charlie died of mercury poisoning? Oh...too soon?

-Joshua