I'm Such a Sucker

One of the joys of being retired is that I don't have to keep to any particular schedule. More storms were scheduled to hit on Thursday so last week I did my shopping on Wednesday.

First stop drug store. As I drove across the Boxcar Willie Memorial Bridge (yeah, I know, nowhere but Texas) just out of the corner of my eye I noticed a couple of people standing on the northeast side. Not an uncommon experience, to see pedestrians. But they had a dog with them. And that's not common.

Purchases made, I was back on the road. Looked for the peds, not there.

However, around the curve and just before the entrance to the interstate, there they stood. He and she pinch-faced in the cold damp wind, wearing no-logo lightweight blue hoodies. He was holding a sign that stated, "Stranded, trying to get wife and puppy back home to Idaho. Any help appreciated." The dog was indeed a puppy. A solid black lab. Bright blue collar. Tattered rope leash, which she held tightly in her grip.

And I caved.

I don't normally carry cash but I remembered that when I bought the hamburgers for Austin's birthday on Saturday I had paid with a twenty, and there had been several singles plus coins in change. I pulled over, and dug in my wallet, then hit the button to lower the front passenger window. Held up the dollars. She came running to the car, puppy scampering to keep up with her.

I handed her the bills and said, "That's all I have, I'm sorry I don't have more." She smiled, said, "God bless you," took the cash, and then quickly stepped back from the car. I put the window up and drove away knowing it's true. God does bless me. In more ways than I realize. And, quite frankly, I don't know whether they were really stranded or not, don't care if they're headed to Idaho or Itaska or even just down the road to their real residence.

It was the dog that got me. I just hope they feed it good, because it's the best beard I've seen in a long, long time.