good samaritans still exist

Last week I received a call from my wife.  While driving at night she had run into a curb and ruined her driver-side front tire and rim.  Fortunately neither she, nor my daughter who was with her, were injured in the accident.  I was only about two miles away from where the accident occurred so I went there immediately to assist her.  Unfortunately, it was already dark, and since I had never changed a tire on her Toyota Camry, I was "in the dark" about the spare, tire tool, jack, etc.  After a bit of searching I found the needed tools and proceeded to get down on the ground to try to figure out where, underneath the car, the jack needed to be placed.  I then proceeded to try to "jack up" the car using a flimsy tire tool that looked like something one would get out of a crackerjacks box.  My anxiety began to grow as I realized that this may be a difficult task for me.   It was right about then that a 'good samaritan, showed up...

Fortunately, my wife's accident had occurred right in front of a Honda sports shop.  Apparently a young man, who worked there, had looked out the window and noticed our plight.  He opened the door and yelled, "Hey, do you need some help?"  I'll have to admit, I was relieved.  While I am convinced that I could have eventually got the tire changed; it was going to be a struggle.  At 68, I was using all of my strength to try to jack the car up.  I think I could have changed the tire but I was going to be exhausted and sore before I was through.  So I gladly accepted the young man's invitation for assistance.

The young man, whose name was Eric, made the job look easy.  He even took my "spare" back to the "service department," to fill it up with air.  Through our conversation I learned that he was a Christian and active in a local United Methodist Church.  Not surprisingly I knew his pastor well.  When the job was done I offered him a $20 bill to express my thanks.  He initially refused but I sort of insisted and he finally accepted the gift with his own expression of thanks.  We wished each other well and my wife, daughter, and I were on our way.

I'm so glad that there are still "good samaritans" out there who are willing to help a family in need.  I'm sure there must be many of them but to tell the truth, a whole bunch of people observed our plight and simply drove by; but one young man saw our need and said, ''Hey, can I help."  So I say, "Thank you Eric," and want everyone to know that the Honda of Tulsa Sports Center has a good man (and a good samaritan" working for them!