A Dry, Safe Place

On my way to pick up my Mom this morning, it started to pour rain. I stopped at the library to return some books before picking Mom up, and I noticed an older woman walking to the next door grocery store, with no umbrella and no protection from the downpour.

I hurried to get the books in the drop box as the library wasn't open yet, jumped back in my car and headed towards the woman. I pulled up next to her so that my empty passenger seat was nearest to her, turned off my radio, lowered the front passenger window and said, "Ma'am, would you like a ride to the grocery store?".

She stopped and I saw the hesitation in her eyes as she quickly checked me out. And for wheatever reason she made a decision and said "Yes" and got in. I immediately made small talk about picking up my Mom, hoping she'd see I was a woman up early on a Sunday morning to spend time with her Mom, completely wishing her no harm.

It took less than a moment to get to the front of the store, but in that time the rain came down even harder; my windshield wipers on their highest speed weren't improving visibility. I dropped her off, she thanked me, and I was on my way.

I am so happy that I didn't talk myself out of offering the ride to her as the same hesitation I saw in her eyes I had played out in my head as I drove to meet her and make the offer. I am so happy that she said yes. And I am so happy that for a moment in 2011, when the world is hardly a safe place, my dry car was.