I currently reside in Virginia, but I've only lived here for about six months. I've lived in Phoenix (AZ), Gettysburg (PA), Frederick (MD), Philadelphia, and NJ, previously.
VA is the furthest south I've lived in awhile. And of course everyone knows that the saying goes that southerners have more charm. But is Virginia south "enough" to comply?
Apparently so. And apparently, my time in New Jersey and (particularly) Philadelphia have hardened me into a callous bitch.
Don't be surprised, but I absentmindedly forgot to put my gas cap back on my car yesterday when filling up at the Shell. It rode on my hood for a bit, but skittered off when I took a right turn. It didn't click at the time exactly what it was, but I had my suspicions and made a mental note to check when I got to my next stop, the barn to see my horse.
Keeping in step with the absentminded theme, I forgot to check whether or not the cap was there. I proceeded to spend a couple hours at the barn before heading home. At this point, it was dusk. Nearly home I remembered that I needed to check my gas cap. Crap! I pulled into a shopping center, just to be sure I told myself.
Well damn if the gas cap wasn't missing. I drove back to the intersection where I heard the mysterious sound and pulled over onto the shoulder (thankfully a fairly generous one). It was beyond dusk at this point, it was starting to get dark. And a few hours time since the incident muddied my already feeble memory of exactly where the incident occurred. It seemed pretty hopeless.
Cars whizzed by as I scanned the grassy berm. Then a car pulled over. My Jeep wasn't far away, so I can imagine it might have seemed that I was having car troubles, walking for help.
Two men were in the truck that pulled over. The passenger male rolled down his window and stuck his head out. "You okay?" he shouted. Now I haven't always lived in areas where safety was a given. I think I'm a pretty trusting person and that I usually give people the benefit of the doubt. But that said, my guard was up.
"I'm fine," I yelled back. "Thanks for asking."
"You sure? Do you need a ride?"
Oh I don't care what these strangers think about me. I'll just be honest. "Just looking for my gas cap. I'm an airhead," I said sheepishly.
"You want help?"
Oh. My. Gosh. Just leave me alone to berate myself for my stupidity. "No thanks, I think it's a lost cause," I replied, hoping this could be the end of it.
"I WANT to help," said the passenger, as he hopped out of the car and started searching. He headed in the opposite direction and did just that, searched for my gas cap.
I'm often taken aback by the kindness of strangers. But it particularly hits me when I was somewhat judgmental at first, but the kind stranger proves me wrong. I didn't know what to think about these two men in a truck on the side of the road, but they were just interested in doing a genuine good deed.
And in case you're wondering, I did find my gas cap. Yay! I thanked the nice strangers and we were on our respective ways. They didn't ask for or want anything. I don't know whether it was southern manners, VA charm, or maybe my expectations are still low. I'll leave you with a quote I have framed in my bedroom. I just love it and it is perfect for this situation:
"Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind."
