When you live in a world where people take you for granted, speak to you condescendingly, and more often than not simply forget you ... it's hard to have a little faith in humanity. Or at least, that's what Ms. Evelyn said when she offered me tea.
Earlier that day, Ms. Evelyn had gone out on her daily walk to get the newspaper at the end of her very old and cracked driveway. She sweltered under the stifling Georgia heat and regretted donning her thick bathrobe; even if it is her favorite one because of the embroidered blue and green flowers.
As she bent down to pick up her newspaper, her foot gave out from under her and she lost her shoe. Ms. Evelyn screamed as she fell and gasped, thinking she had broken her already fragile hip. She felt the familiar and embarrassing trickle down her legs. Her elbow scraped the ground, her glasses fell off her head, and her bathrobe slipped off her shoulder. A small gash on her elbow dripped blood onto the concrete and she stared as a car drove by her.
"Maybe he was going too fast... Maybe he didn't see me..."
Ms. Evelyn despaired as the time passed and car after car passed her fallen form. Her bright blue robe was not hard to miss amidst the drab grey concrete. Minute by minute, more beads of sweat collected on her brow as the midday sun beat mercilessly on her aching body.
She could see her neighbors sitting on their front porch but could not call out to them. Her voice would not come but she wondered if, just maybe, they were ignoring her.
One car after another, the misery and pain began to set in. Despair and a headache set in as a white pick-up truck and a red mini-van passed her fallen form. Would no one stop for her?
But... wait. Wasn't that the same pick-up truck and mini-van again? Relief washed over her when the cars pulled over and doors began to open.
A man and his daughter.
A woman and her son.
"They stopped for me... They're asking me if I'm ok... They're helping me up"
"I'm ok, I bent down to pick up my newspaper and my foot must have gone out from under me. No, no, nothing's broken. Oh no, nonononono I'd rather not call anyone. My daughter's busy at work, I don't want to bother her."
Ms. Evelyn was so glad to have someone talk to her, notice her, and just touch her hand. She couldn't remember the last time any person had been so considerate. A registered nurse and her strong son. A sensitive man and his caring daughter.
"Such a lovely girl, is she stooping down to place my shoe back on my foot. She didn't have to do that. I feel so bad for getting blood on her hands. God must have sent these kind folks to me, what would have happened? Why did no one else stop for me?"
"Do you know that I make this walk every day? Just to get the paper."
The young ones helped her to the door; the strong man lifted her into her favorite chair; the nurse and the young girl cleaned up her bloodied elbow and hands. Could they tell she had soiled herself in her fear?
Would they leave her so soon?
"Young lady, would you like some tea? would you like to hear what happened before you found me? Would you like to know how you restored my faith in humanity?"
Earlier that day, Ms. Evelyn had gone out on her daily walk to get the newspaper at the end of her very old and cracked driveway. She sweltered under the stifling Georgia heat and regretted donning her thick bathrobe; even if it is her favorite one because of the embroidered blue and green flowers.
As she bent down to pick up her newspaper, her foot gave out from under her and she lost her shoe. Ms. Evelyn screamed as she fell and gasped, thinking she had broken her already fragile hip. She felt the familiar and embarrassing trickle down her legs. Her elbow scraped the ground, her glasses fell off her head, and her bathrobe slipped off her shoulder. A small gash on her elbow dripped blood onto the concrete and she stared as a car drove by her.
"Maybe he was going too fast... Maybe he didn't see me..."
Ms. Evelyn despaired as the time passed and car after car passed her fallen form. Her bright blue robe was not hard to miss amidst the drab grey concrete. Minute by minute, more beads of sweat collected on her brow as the midday sun beat mercilessly on her aching body.
She could see her neighbors sitting on their front porch but could not call out to them. Her voice would not come but she wondered if, just maybe, they were ignoring her.
One car after another, the misery and pain began to set in. Despair and a headache set in as a white pick-up truck and a red mini-van passed her fallen form. Would no one stop for her?
But... wait. Wasn't that the same pick-up truck and mini-van again? Relief washed over her when the cars pulled over and doors began to open.
A man and his daughter.
A woman and her son.
"They stopped for me... They're asking me if I'm ok... They're helping me up"
"I'm ok, I bent down to pick up my newspaper and my foot must have gone out from under me. No, no, nothing's broken. Oh no, nonononono I'd rather not call anyone. My daughter's busy at work, I don't want to bother her."
Ms. Evelyn was so glad to have someone talk to her, notice her, and just touch her hand. She couldn't remember the last time any person had been so considerate. A registered nurse and her strong son. A sensitive man and his caring daughter.
"Such a lovely girl, is she stooping down to place my shoe back on my foot. She didn't have to do that. I feel so bad for getting blood on her hands. God must have sent these kind folks to me, what would have happened? Why did no one else stop for me?"
"Do you know that I make this walk every day? Just to get the paper."
The young ones helped her to the door; the strong man lifted her into her favorite chair; the nurse and the young girl cleaned up her bloodied elbow and hands. Could they tell she had soiled herself in her fear?
Would they leave her so soon?
"Young lady, would you like some tea? would you like to hear what happened before you found me? Would you like to know how you restored my faith in humanity?"
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