The
driveway had not seemed long from a distance, but as I stood at the end it
seemed to stretch forever. I glanced back at my car, hood now popped open (so
it would cool off), and then down the road where 309 was three driveways away,
but home was 8 miles away, I shook my head and hesitantly made my way to the
front door.
Growing
up I had seen and been with my dad on such walks to a stranger’s door. This now
proved two things: Prater luck with cars was hereditary and the walk of automotive
fail was less scary with someone beside you. Having finally reached the front
door, I gave it a hard knock that left my knuckles aching, Within moments a
woman answered.
“I’m
going to have to let you go,” she said as she hanged the phone on the person at
the other end. She looked me over for a minute before I realized I needed to
speak.
“Umm…sorry
to bother but my car broke down, and I am an oddball twenty-one year old
without a phone…I mean I have one, but no time on it; just a mobile phonebook
now. Uhhh…Anyways, may I use your phone?” The whole time I kept my eyes to the
ground. This was a strain on nerves to no end, and mixed with the heat and
humidity and the long ride from McGuffy I felt as if I was about to pass out.
The woman looked a
little concern, either by letting me use her phone or by a stranger in general,
but allowed me to use her phone. Luck would have it though that my dad did not
answer his cell. I thanked the woman, and turned to walk back towards my car to
either wait for my dad (who I had told which roads I would be taking just in
case) or to start the long walk into town.
“No
you don’t. It’s too hot. We’ll give your dad another shot in a few minutes, but
for now you are coming in to drink some water! What kind of a nurse would I be
to let a person sit in this weather?” She moved aside, and allowed me into the
air conditioned house.
For
the next 45 minutes the woman (whose name I have forgotten) and I carried on a
conversation about our collective bad luck with cars, this horrible Summer
heat, and how I should not have left my dad’s house without a bottle of water. In
that short amount of time, my faith in humanity was restored as a stranger was
kind enough to help me out instead of turning me away.
I really enjoyed your post. I think that it was written very well. Also, one of my previous posts for class was about the decline in events such as this and it was nice to read a post that relates and provides the other side of the story.
ReplyDeleteThat's so nice that she allowed you to stay. Most people wouldn't even open the door to someone they didn't know.
ReplyDeleteIts good to hear that there are still good kind people out there, willing to help others.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very nice story, broken cars seem to be a theme in this exploration. The story is also rather well composed compared to some of the others I have read.
ReplyDeleteYou wrote your story so well that I felt like I was reading a book, not a story. Anyway, that is pretty awesome that a stranger let you into her house and helped you out. I had a similar experience so I know how grateful you were for that woman.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to know that there are nice people out there.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about being nerves about walking up to a strangers house because you don't know who is going to anwser the door, good thing she wasn't like most people and slam the door in your face.
ReplyDelete