Helping Hand on the Road

These are some pessimistic days. You are afraid to talk to strangers or to provide help to a strange. There are always news about shootings by strangers barging into a store or a school. The parents are always telling their kids never talk to or trust a stranger. But there are few people out there that are willing to provide a helping hand in times of need.

Why I am so preachy about helping hands today? Well today I was on the receiving end of help from a stranger in the city of Brotherly Love. My current work situation takes me to Philadelphia once a week for working at my clients site. To avoid the heavy commuter traffic, I start around noon on my way back to Scranton.

So today, I was going to my car from work. I was near my car and I see a car near the parking region by the roadside. As I was crossing the car, the lady in the car brings down her window and asks me if it was safe to park there to go to the Art Museum. There was a Frida Kahlo art gallery display going on at the Museum. I assumed that she was asking if it was OK to park there without getting a parking ticket. Having lived close by for 2 years, I knew the place well. I answered it was OK to park there and that the Museum was less than 10 mins walk from there on such a sunny hot beautiful day. So she parks the car and move along to my cars that was only few feet and 3 car spaces away.

On reaching my car, I tried unlocking with my keyless and there was this most dreaded silence from my care. There was no sound of the unlocking and I knew I had repeated my mistake. I done this 3 times before and this was 4th but first on my Toyota. Now I am thinking, I could call my Insurance and wait for about 2 hours. I could call my colleagues and get laughed at for the next 2 weeks. Neither did look very encouraging as I was in a mood to get home ASAP after a tough week at work.

So, I decided to take my chances on talking to the lady as I had a Jump Start cables with my Emergency Kit in my car. I approached her car from behind which was a mistake. People always are always apprehensive when they see strangers approaching from behind. On seeing me she lowered her windows and then I said 'Are you on a rush to go somewhere'. Having said that I thought I could have used a better opening line. She had this confused frown in her face and replied 'No, why'. She probably was thinking I was hitting on her. I explained to her the story, said that I needed a Jump Start, that I have the cables and that it would not take long. Little did I know that the cables were faulty and it would longer than anticipated.

Luckily there was a half car space available in front of my car and she came over on that side. I set up the cables and asked to start. I tried my car but it would not start. I came out and readjusted my car and tried again. It did not help. I came out and said it is not working. She was very patient and said give it a few minutes. I struck a conversation and found that her name was Andrea from New Jersey and she was waiting for her friend to join her. While I was waiting to start my car again, there comes a man who could be in his 50s. He apparently lives in the house directly behind my car on the street and said that he noticed my lights were on the previous night. I figured that by now.

He then said, the wires might be little loose and he fiddled with the plugs and asked me try again. No use. He said that there seems to be not enough current to provide the spark. He says the it might need thicker cables and he went to fetch his own personal cables from his car that was parked a block away. I was surprised by his helpful nature. Philadelphia never seemed better than it was today.

He brings back the cable and set them up himself. I tried them and Voila, the car starts. He tells me not to stop the car for sometime or go to a Gas Station to have my battery recharged. He asked when I was coming back. Next week, I say. On hearing it he handed over the Jump Start cable and said I can drop it off at his door steps when I come back next week. I think, he felt I might need them again. I thanked Him and said I sure will. I think he mentioned his name to be David.

I think the spring is finally here. The cold days of sinisterness are over. I feel good. I have hope in mankind. Before I sound like Barack Obama I will end the story here. I think it was Karma or something. Why do I say Karma...it is a story for another day of my life in good old Morgantown.