Last month I wrote a piece about Stephen Harper’s decision to prorogue Parliament for the second time since he was elected our prime minister.
Since then, a handful of events have caused me to come to a realization: If we can’t rely on our government to do right by us, we must be able to rely on one another.
A few weeks back I ran out of oil (something that seems to be a monthly occurrence in my home). In my haste to get to the village I decided not to shovel my driveway, but just to take the truck instead of the car. Bad decision. I ended up misjudging the edge of my driveway and put one of the back wheels of the truck into the ditch. When I got out to assess the situation I quickly realized this was one time four-wheel-drive couldn’t save me. I needed help.
I walked over to the Country Bread Basket to see my neighbour. I don’t have any proof, but I feel safe in saying that Franklin must have helped many people out of pinches in the past because one of the first things I remember being told when I moved to Brule was that if I was ever in trouble he would know what to do. And this time was no exception.
Franklin and his delivery man grabbed shovels and came to my house to dig me out. Just when they realized the truck would need more than a push, Franklin’s son arrived in his diesel pickup and pulled me out.
Later that week I was on the phone with mother getting all the news from back home. I wandered into my kitchen and was surprised to find a gigantic tractor shooting the snow in my driveway clear across the front yard. A man came to my door and explained that he was on his way home after visiting my neighbour and noticed that my driveway was in rough shape. So he decided he would stop to plow it for me. I was so touched by his random act of kindness I was left speechless.
The following weekend my friend Patty was coming from Gagetown to visit. Bad weather hit that Friday, but he insisted on making the trip, promising he would take it slow. Just after crossing the border into Nova Scotia he hit a patch of black ice and was sent spinning off the highway into the ditch. Luckily Patty was not hurt, and his car wasn’t damaged. He decided to call a tow truck and finish the last leg of his trip.
As he stood on the shoulder waiting, cars pulled over on two occasions to see if he was all right. Both of the men who stopped offered him shelter and kept him company to help pass the time. One even offered him a ride. A potentially terrible experience led Patty to make two new friends and left him with a great story to tell later.
Whether you are asking for help or simply look like you need some, it’s nice to know friendly people are out there who will stop to take care of someone else. If we all keep our eyes open a little bit wider for those in need, we will never have to feel alone.
Angela Saieva