Blame it on the Screw....

Blame it on the screw that Senior found in my tire. For if it had not lodged itself in there, then I would have gone about my day as I had planned and not side tracked by sitting for over an hour and a half at the tire store. I could not complain to much though, they did patch it for free, even though I did not purchase the tires from there.
 Finally the Cherokee was finished. I sent a text to Senior who was working near by to see if he wanted lunch. He said sure, and we had a brief but nice little outing.

I had an hour to kill. did not want to drive back to our little area then over to our subdivision, then leave again to get the boys from school. Senior had said he needed a veggie tray for his last class tonight. They were having a "pot luck". Okay, my original plan was the store earlier in the day, but since it was wasted at the tire store, I will go now.  I really hate driving around so much. But, I am also a firm believer on if you are out...then stay out and get your errands done.

I get to the store around 1;30. that is about 40 minutes I had to waste before getting ND. I browsed like I normally do. Picked up a few groceries, including the veggie tray. Checked out and headed to the car. It was 2:05 and I was right on track for picking up the boys.

That is when I first saw her. She was leaning on a car parked next to mine talking on a cell phone.  I could hear she was crying and something about her medications had her upset. I went to open the drivers side door. She had hung up, and was sobbing.

{I do know what some of you will say.. And yes my guard was up, and my hand on my glock. I know to be careful,I was wary of the other shoppers going to their cars, and where her hands were at all times-security cameras were every where, and store employees were sitting at a picnic table near us. }

" Oh Hell! "  I thought......  "ma'am, are you okay? "  I asked. I just involved myself.  She looked up, with a bit of surprise on her face.
"No, I just moved here and because I am not a resident I can not get prescriptions filled, and my back is killing me, I came all this way out here from California..and now I just want to go back"

At this point, I expected her to ask for drugs, or money. But she didn't. She never asked for anything.
 She told me her story, most of which I still can't figure out. Like why she  couldn't get a rx filled, If the original was at Walgreens.
And how she was married for 24 years, but separated from her husband 18 of those years.. wow! And now he wants her back. She just went on and on for what seemed an eternity.

 I know I could have got in the car and drove off. But, it was something an old preacher once said that made me stop. He said " We are tested every day. You never know when that person in need could be Jesus in disguise"

 Things always happen for a reason... And I think the series of events starting with the screw in my tire put me in that spot at that exact moment, more for my benefit then hers. Lately, I feel as though my level of compassion and nice-ness is being tested. I needed to know for myself that I truely am not the mean catty ogre a couple of former friends have made me out to be.

I nodded my head a bit, then told her I would pray for her. I wished her luck..and I truely meant that. I did keep my word and said a silent prayer as I drove off.

-JUGM