Evening the Odds

Yesterday morning was a bit strange.

I was running late, and as I backed out of the driveway I glanced over and saw someone driving out of the alley just a little way away. But, as I drove past her, I realized that she hadn't moved. I pulled up to the corner and looked in the rearview mirror. Still no movement, but I could see her front tires spinning. Since I was already running late, it wasn't even a debate.

I turned around and pulled off to the side of the road. As I walked up to her car, the woman rolled down her window and said "Is winter over, yet?" I just laughed as I walked to the back of her car and started to push. About 30 seconds later -- after a quick rock back and then forward again -- she was on her way. And I was just a hair later to work, but with a much better story.

I headed in to work and, only a couple of minutes late, walked into the building. I think I've mentioned in the past that the stairs are narrow and you have to wait for people to pass on the landings. Well, there was someone coming down as I was going up. I waited for her to pass -- we even exchanged pleasantries, believe it or not -- then made my way up. And then I heard one of those strange noises that you recognize as soon as you hear it. I looked over to see her pretty much lying on her back on the next flight of stairs down from me.

Without even thinking, I turned back and asked if she was okay. Of course, she seemed a little embarrassed, but -- happily -- she sat up and said "Yeah. Fine. I didn't hit my head." So I'm guessing a bruised tuchus was probably the worst of it.

Happily, that was the end of my commute to work, and I got in just about 5 minutes late -- but with a couple of good stories to tell.

I told some folks about my morning and got really nice comments about how I was being a good Samaritan. I didn't have the heart to tell them that I was really just happy to have a couple of "cover stories" for my tardy arrival at work.

Oh. And there was one friend of mine who -- when she heard that my morning had been "odd" -- commented that maybe the morning was odd so that the rest of the day could come out even. Gee. You'd never know she was teaching elementary school math, would you...?