The Girl Who Fell Into The Grassy Ditch: The Good Samaritans OnOverload Story
No, what I'm doing is just reporting back about a day where I witnessed Good Samaritans coming out the yin yang. This is a good thing. The world needs more days of Good Samaritans coming out of the woodwork. Can I get an Amen?
*screeeeeeeeeech*
Annnnnnnd, the teenager veers off the wet pavement and settles her little car nicely into the roadside ditch all snug and comfy-like just before she was to stop at a red light.
*presses gas*
*wheels spin and just create a groove in the wet, muddy grass*
She isn't going anywhere.
"Did you see that?" We all said together as we drove by her as it happened.
We quickly made a U-turn, pulled over and out of the way of traffic, which meant we weren't right next to the girl.
My husband got out of the car and walked over to her. She was on her cellphone and had already called for help. A police officer and a wrecker were on their way. My husband told her that we would wait in our car until they got there.
And, thus began the sea of Samaritans.
Since we weren't right next to her, everyone thought they were they first responders. Bless their sweet, little hearts. Every few minutes, you'd see a person hastily pull over and get out.
"Hey, are you alright?"
"Hey there, are you okay?"
"Oops, huh? You hurt?"
"Can I call someone for you? I've got a cellphone."
"Hi. Need help?"
"Uh-oh! What can I do to help?"
"Bonk! Called a wrecker yet?"
"So sorry this happened. Are you hurt?"
"You okay? Need help out of the car?"
"Ooooo! Looks like you took a bad turn. Can I call a wrecker for you?"
"Oh, no! What happened?"
"You okay?"
"I'm here to help! Have you called anyone yet?"
Every few minutes, people would pull up alongside us.
"Hey, did you see that girl?"
"Hey, I got a buddy who is a police officer. I can give him a call."
"Hi, there. My uncle has a tow truck. I can call him."
"Wow. Did you see that girl? Has anyone been called?"
"I'm actually an off-duty police officer, so I got this."
"Hey, I can stay with the girl until help arrives."
"No, we can stay."
"No, really, I can stay."
"No, we got it. It's no problem."
"No, really it's no problem. I got it."
"No, we do."
"No, us."
"We."
"Us."
"We."
"Us."
It really was almost comical.
Person after person carefully high stepped it through the long wavy, wet grass to peek through her car window to check on her not realizing they were the 43rd person to do it.
After a while, I was beginning to feel that I had ownership of the girl in the ditch. I would see people see her and begin the process of rolling down their windows or pulling over. I'd yell to them from inside my car (where they couldn't hear), "WE GOT HER, BUDDY! YOU DIDN'T SEE HER FIRST. We actually saw her veer off the road first! WE SAW HER SETTLE INTO THE GRASS!! We already asked her if she needed help! Don't be thinking you're the first one!!! YOU DON'T GET THE PRIZE!!!"
I could see the look of satisfaction on everyone's faces as they stopped to offer help, especially given the fact that it was sprinkling! They saw an area where they could immediately give and they did not hesitate. A little rain wasn't stopping these heroes!! This is a very good thing. Unfortunate for all of them, though, because we were the rightful heirs to the Good Samaritan of the Day crown.
I pitied them.
We were first, you know?
Eventually, she got out of the ditch, of course. Still, every time I pass that area, I call over my shoulder to the boys, "Look, that girl just ran her car into the ditch" and every time they look.
It was sort of an exciting thing for our community. It was the best combo of someone needing help but not being hurt at all. It was a chance for the good Samaritans of this area to shine.
It was a chance for us all to give ourselves a sticker.
It was a chance for us all to pat our own backs.
"Oh, you just went to Target today? Humph. I helped someone out of a ditch."
"You mean you didn't help anyone out of a ditch today? YOU SELF-CENTERED FOOL!!!"
"Hahaha. That is such a cute story. Hey, did you know I helped someone out of a ditch today?"
"Wow, you don't say. Well, anyway, I helped someone out of a ditch."
"Ditch."
But, guess what?
We didn't see her first.
I learned that devastating news as we drove off that day when we saw the other car that had been there before us. Our Hero Vision had initially clouded our view.
Got me right in the ticker.
I took the comments off the blog as a way to tell the spammers to take a long walk off a super long pier. (I don't want them to fall off. I just want them to go away for a really long time.)