11 February 2009

Picking up hitch hikers...sort of

Well, I was driving home from the coast last night and it was snowing and icy and all that jazz. We were barely moving IMHO at like 40 and I was hanging really tight to a semi for a lot of reasons. Bright lights, wide wheels and those guys usually know what's up. But, we got to an area where there was a pull off and I could see this person walking around in the snow and trying to wave people down. I pulled over (I was already in uniform) and feeling a bit like paying it forward. This girl explains that this is her 2nd flat of the day and her spare is already in use. Neither of us has cell service and I say, climb in and I'll give you a ride to the nearest house or until we get service.

I tell her I work for the Boy Scouts and that I hope that makes her feel at least a little more comfrotable getting into the car with a stranger. She says, oh, my dad was a cub master. They live in Alaska, yadda yadda. I tell her there is a little shop up the way - oh wait.

[First I have to tell you that I NEVER, ok, maybe in 3.5 years have only driven Hwy 6 to Hwy 26 3 times from Tillamook home. I had decided to go to my parentals and then into PDX to clear disrcrepancies on Wed. otherwise, I never would've been on that road.]

Back to the meatier stuff - I say, oh, that's so great about her dad being a CM. Then just as we're pulling up the house/store, she says, yeah, they are LDS. I say, oh, I am too and smiled. She reeked of cigarette smoke and lived with her boyfriend but I could tell she was relieved that it was me who was there to help her. I hope she was having a prayer answered and that she would share this with her parents who are probably hoping that she'll have some sort of crisis to bring her around again. She made the call and the store owners said she could wait for the tow there so I left but I just hope that she felt a little comfort in meeting me and that maybe, just maybe, I was an answer to someone's prayers.

Have a great day all.

2 comments:

Maleen said...

That was a really cool story. I have never been brave enough to pick someone up, but I have always wanted too.

Candace said...

Good for you! Is your new background to give you day camp motivation? lol Have a great day!