Today marks a milestone in my life. I can't tell you that I had an epic birthday or I solved some great mystery that will shed light in the darkness experienced by thousands. No my friends, today was a different kind of milestone. Today I ran out of gas for the very first time.
Now some may say that running out of gas is a trivial pothole in the middle of an otherwise smooth day. However this event allowed me to unknowingly engage in an interesting study of human behavior.
As I sat in my car, listening to the radio and wondering what exactly it is that makes Nickleback appealing, I started to notice the plethora of cars that was passing me. Each car slowed down slightly and the driver, passengers, or all of them together craned their necks to peer into my window and distinguish why exactly I was parked on the side of the school's driveway. I thought nothing of this until the cold started to creep into the cabin of my vehicle and I began to ponder how the situation could be worse, such as being in the middle of nowhere rather than in the middle of a busy suburban setting. Why wasn't anyone stopping to see if I needed help? Why was it so easy to pass by staring and yet the simple thought of stopping to ask if I needed assistance never entered into someone's mind?
I started keeping track of the time and the number of cars that passed me as I sat there in clear distress and waited for the gas can that was en route to me. nearly forty minutes and 50 some-odd cars later and ONE kind woman stopped to check on me.
This was an incredibly eye-opening moment for me and a turning point in my life.(not to be melodramatic) Would I have stopped? I like to think so but I could not seem to answer with a positive "yes". I guess the point of this whole rant is to encourage everyone, including myself, to not brush off our fellow citizens in the rush to complete our daily tasks. I couldn't answer with a definite "yes" this afternoon, but after today I can answer with an emphatic, one hundred percent, never-been-so-positive "absolutely"!
Also remember to always check your gas gauge...running out SUCKS!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Haha, oh, darling. My dad ALWAYS stops for EVERY car on the side of the road...a habit I would like to partake in. However, I tend to cruise on by because I'm afraid of being murdered on the side of the highway. Dramatic, I know, but you can never be too careful.
ReplyDeleteI ran out of gas a few weeks ago, too, and also had to be scrutinized by every non-helper who drove by. Then again, everyone's always craning their necks to look at me, so that's nothing different. :)
hahahahaha, miss me yet???