Hope It Comes Back

On Saturday morning, Mom and I went over to the local produce market (where they work miracles; see my January 31, 2009 post).  After I had just finished checking out, our cart stopped behind that of an older lady, who was asking in her very best loud-but-polite voice if she could use somebody's phone to call a taxi.  

So I grabbed my cell phone and handed it to her.  She declined to take it, since she said she wasn't very good at dialing on a small phone, so I offered to dial the number.  She had trouble remembering, and hesitated.  I glanced at my mother.  Then I said, "If it's not too far, we could just take you."  She immediately brightened, and said that it was only a few blocks away.  We went out to Mom's car.  The lady had a handful of plastic grocery bags that had only a few items in each, and we put her walker in the trunk.  It was literally about three blocks from the market, around the corner and down the block.  But it would have taken her a very long time to do it with her walker.  

As we were driving, she confided that some people look at her like she's "a nut" when she offers to pay them to make a cell phone call for her.  What a shame.  We helped her up to the house with the bags and the walker.  I found myself hoping that we run into her again sometime.  She was so grateful for our help.  I can only wish that help will come back around someday when I need it.