On the PA Turnpike

I drove out to Irwin, PA yesterday afternoon to be at one of our buildings this morning. I left around 1:30 PM to make the 5+ hours trip back down the Turnpike home.

I listen to books on tape or CD when I drive for work so I'm usually not bored.

I made a "pit stop" - needed to answer nature's call, needed a latte and really needed a cheese danish. I sat in my car drinking the latte and eating the danish (it was my LUNCH, OK?), listening to Tess Gerritsen's "Sinner" (GREAT book - love her and she introduced me to Cosmos, which I'm drinking right now, and which she won't remember, because who the heck am I anyway and she's a best-selling author - but I digress).

I was ready to leave and get back on the road when this nice looking young man came up to my car and asked me for help. My first thought was (and I swear to Goddess this was my first thought): Ted Bundy was a nice looking young man. But this young man was nice looking and nice. He was virtually stranded at the rest stop after using all his money for an alternator for his car - a worn out sedan parked nearby. He was looking for help towards gas and tolls to get home to Maryland.

I gave him $20.
(I can see my daughter shaking her head.)
But you know: I would want someone to help Heather, my sister, one of my nephews, me or any one of my friends if they every found themselves with the same problem.

And what's $20?
For $20 I got the blessings of a nice looking (and I'm sure nice) young man who was just trying to get home.

And aren't we all doing that all day long - just trying to get home?

Those of us who are lucky not to need that kind of help, should be helping those who do.

And now I wish I would have given him more.
I believed him.