A Short, Short Time Ago

It's like all they do is argue!

Perhaps the world is becoming a better place after all. I mean, not immediately an order of magnitude better, but baby-steps toward no longer pulling the overly-patient dog’s ear and gnawing.

Two recent events have given me a new hope.

The First

Yesterday morning at the gas station, half the pumps were wrapped with yellow “Caution” tape and “Out of Service” boots were on the pump handles. This forced me to have to pull forward and then back into the stall to reach a pump. As I was doing so, another truck pulled into the station, and not immediately aware of the situation began to pull in behind me, blocking me from my pump.

I’ll admit, I said a swear.

Several, in fact.

Imagine all the people . . . 

Then, miracle of miracles, the driver realized what he’d done, and started to back out. Even more startling was that the truck was pulling a trailer. This made backing out a bit more problematic, but the driver did it.

He did the right thing.

I walked over and shook his hand.

The Second

Today, while I was running on my lunch, I saw an older couple, perhaps late 80s or early 90s. They’d clearly gone for a walk. The woman was sitting on the ground and her husband was standing over her, holding her cane. As I ran toward them, another couple, perhaps in their 60s, pulled over, got out and went to the woman. I was close enough now, I slowed to a walk, and it was clear that the elderly couple didn’t speak very good English. The husband was nodding and smiling, but he was clearly distressed. The wife seemed confused and didn’t want to put anyone out. The second couple who had arrived before me asked if she needed help getting up, and the husband nodded vigorously, while his wife tried to wave us away.

I felt like a third wheel until the “younger” couple struggled to lift the wife up off the ground. She was unsteady at best and causing them some trouble. I reached down and offered my arms. The woman looked up at me, confused for a moment, but I smiled—which is a thing I do a lot more now since I’ve had my teeth straightened—and she warmed right up.

“Thank you,” she said. “Thank you.”