Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Shocking

I have been SO long without blogging that I had to re-enter my password! That is NOT okay! What have I been DOING what my time?

Well, giving rides to strangers, for one thing. I was driving around late at night on Thursday, after giving rides home to R and A (hi guys!) and as I was driving down Mercer, I saw a girl on the side of the road, walking home. Nothing particularly unusual about it, except something about her movement caught my eye. I thought she was disabled at first, and then I realized...no. She was really that drunk. I quickly thought about my options. She looked about my age, maybe younger, and she seemed harmless. And I would have felt terrible about just driving by. I made a quick U-turn and pulled up beside her.

I rolled down my window. "Hon, are you going to make it home?"

"Idonkno," she said. I nodded.

"Get in, I'll give you a ride home."

"Imna'far," she said. "Jus' the nex' corner."

I understood. "You don't know me, and you don't HAVE to get in the car. But if you want a ride, you can have one."

She climbed in the car so quickly I thought maybe invisible bad guys were after her. "Than' you SO much," she slurred, and sure enough, she wasn't far--maybe another ten blocks. I dropped her off and she told me I was her best friend.

"Hon," I said, laughing, "you aren't going to remember this in the morning, but thanks. People have done me a good turn or two myself, so pass this on when you get a chance."

So. My good deed for the week.

Also, and there is no casual way to say this, the LT and I are no longer together. It seems like we might be able to salvage a friendship--even a good friendship--so that's good, at least.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yay good deeds! Mine for yesterday was I bought a homeless guy some food. It was in Bethesda (generally pretty wealthy area) where other homeless people who have come up to me begging for food always refused to let me go into a store and buy them something or take my leftovers. They would claim they haven't eaten in 3 days and need money for food, but then make some really stupid excuse when I offered food and insist that they'll only take money.

This guy seemed like he was genuinely eying my leftovers as I walked by him and he asked for food. So I offered to take him into a store and buy him some dinner. He ordered a steak sub and a soda, which I paid for, and then I left while he waited for his food. I've done this before in Pittsburgh, but this was the first time in Bethesda that someone actually took me up on it.

And *hug* about LT. Though yay ability for friendship!

Anonymous said...

Homeless people are like squirrels - if you give them food, they'll forget how to forage for it themselves.

Anonymous said...

Ah crap, I'm sorry to hear (OK fine, read!) about LT.

And good for you for good deeds. I agree it's always a good idea to pay back the good deeds of other strangers. Lord knows enough of them have helped. Some day, I may tell the story of Anne Mok, the little girl from Germany I back into her hotel room - with no money or keys - in Cancun. Fun stuff!

Celia said...

Sorry to hear about you and LT. I hope you can salvage that friendship, though!