I want to share a story that ended as well as it could. On Thursday, June 16, a hot summer day, I parked my car, with the windows open, along the sidewalk by my home in Mount Stewart. I went inside and later stopped to pull weeds from flower beds.
Upon returning to leave I found my purse was gone. Immediate panic!
Of course, I was careless (ADD) but there had never been any problem around my home of 10 years. That day along with the usual credit/access cards, licence, health card and cellphone, my wallet contained over $165 in cash and 12 $100 bills for the purchase of a garden shed I was preparing to move.
“Kindness is a wonderful thing to do for anyone you see in distress.”
The rest of that evening was spent on my sister’s phone trying to report, cancel, pause, etc. those contracts which maintain our social and physical needs.
On Friday morning, I went first to Access P.E.I. for my licence and had to wait in the car for the buzzer. As I entered, the meeting staffer asked do you need a health card too and gave me a clipboard with two applications.
The first one had a note: there is a $10 charge for card replacement.
Having no cash, I asked if I could be billed and was told “No, you will not get a card without cash.”
Feeling further dejected, I was approaching the door to leave when a hand reached over the divider with a $10 bill. Unbelieving, I stopped to thank the man.
The staffer following said, “there is a charge for your licence too.” In a second, the same hand passed another $10.
The staff person went to check and returned to say, “you need $30 in total for the two cards.” Again, my benefactor reached out a $5 bill and had to say, “I haven’t got another.” The staffer quickly offered to cover the balance.
Greatly relieved, I sat to wait my turn. I had to question myself. Would I give my last cash to a stranger?
At the wicket, I asked the names of those two men. The first (the client) is Charlie, the second (staff person) is Wade. I want here to publicly thank Charlie and Wade. Your volunteered kindness made a huge difference in my day. I left free to drive and look after my health.
Finally, at TD Bank, Shawna recognized me without photo ID and I soon had a new access card and cash in my hand. Only my cellphone remains to be replaced and my sister Marion helps with that. More kindness.
To finish, I want to say that if you can, kindness is a wonderful thing to do for anyone you see in distress.
With gratitude and thankfulness,
Isabel M. Court,
Charlottetown
Source: saltwire.com
