By Barbara Anne Radtke
I have had a string of bad luck in parking lots lately. They have provoked reflection on the story of the Good Samaritan and gratitude for the strangers today who will stop to help.
My first incident was in Mall parking lot. I could not get up out of my car. The recipe for this pickle: a compromised knee, a bad arthritis day, a Prius which is low to the ground, and a re-adjusted driver’s seat. I could not get the purchase to pull myself up and out. People walked past me at a brisk clip. Many braced themselves against the stiff wind or hurried children along in front of them. Then, along came a young, slim guy with eyes scanning the lot. He called out: “Do you need help?” And he knew just how to help me get out. His name was Noah. I told him I would say his name every time I gave thanks for the people in my life.
The following week, the polar vortex was still doing its job pulling in Arctic air with stiff winds. It was too much for the battery in my car. I had stopped in the parking lot of a building full of offices and labs to mail some letters. The car would not start. AAA gave me a 90-minute time frame for arrival. I huddled in the car, knowing I would be blocking easy access to the Fed Ex, UPS, and USPS boxes. “How annoying this will be for them,” I thought. The brown UPS truck was the first to drive up. I called out to explain to the driver why I could not move. “Are YOU OK?” she said. After I assured her, she picked up her parcels from the box and got in her truck. BUT then there was a tap on my window. “Here,” she said, “These are disposable hand warmers and you may need this bottle of water while you wait.”
In this instance, I also phoned a friend. She sent her partner who was working nearby. I do not know him very well, but he came with a warm car to sit in, comradery, and all the awareness of a first responder. He waited with me for the AAA truck and followed me home. He was balm for a brain addled with nerves and cold.
I am sure that you, dear reader, have stories of a stranger who has helped you out. We would love to hear them. They are reminders that, in world that can be cold and brutal, there are good people who put themselves out for a stranger or a near stranger. It has been that way since probably before the good Samaritan of whom the evangelists speak. THAT gives me both hope and gratitude. Not a bad way to start 2025.
Response
By Kathy Hendricks
Barbara, you stated it so well when you noted that, in the midst of a cold and brutal world, we encounter strangers who warm our hearts through their generosity and thoughtfulness. I have been the recipient of many a Noah-like figure who, not knowing me, still lent a helping hand, offered a comforting word, and shared something akin to the handwarmers you received from a friendly delivery driver.
An enduring memory of such an encounter occurred over four decades ago, shortly after Ron and I were married. He was serving at a small boat station in Port Angeles, Washington, and we were subsisting on his meager salary as a fireman, the lowest rank in the U.S. Coast Guard. One chilly afternoon, I was taking a walk and stressing about how to make ends meet when an elderly man emerged from a small house behind our apartment. Learning that we were newlyweds and that Ron was in the military, he gave me $20 and wished me well. Of all the gifts I have been given over the years, his stands out as one of the most touching.
As we usher in a new year, I hope, like Barbara, that our readers will share an account of an unexpected offering from someone of goodwill and kindness. We can never get enough of stories that speak of hope and generosity.
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