My Good Samaritans

Friday was probably the worst and most stressful day at a job that I've ever had. :-) This says a lot since I work about 3 hrs a week, but I had a mini disaster and were it not for the help of a couple Good Samaritans it might have been worse than it was.

I do the book keeping for 5 companies that are owned by the same two men and have a weekly meeting with them to go over reports, pick up checks, have them sign things, etc. On Friday I went in and collected 2 checks for the mortgage co, 1 check for Real Estate Inv co, four of my paychecks and some cash someone gave for their rent on a house I manage. Thankfully this was a small week monetarily.

When I got to my car I put my bag inside, but for some reason put my zippered work folder on the top of my car. I got distracted by Steven's crying so I made him a bottle, hopped in my car and headed to meet my sister at the Zoo. It wasn't until I was on Foothill Blvd that I realized I'd left my folder on the car.

When I finally looped back around I saw my folder on the 90th South entrance of I-15, completely broken open and the contents blowing away. Besides the checks I'd gathered, I also had quite a few bank statements and reports. AHHH! I hurry and ran after some of the papers and then hopped in my car, drove a few feet, got out grabbed more, got in drove, etc until I'd ran/drove to the 72nd exit. I'm sure I looked crazy. (I kind of was at the moment)

A lady stopped on the 72nd exit and asked if she could help me, but I explained what had happened and there wasn't a whole lot she could help with. Then she told me she'd gotten off work early because she felt there was someone that needed her help , and that person might be me. I relented and we drove my car back to the 90th S exit to start over. A guy also stopped and helped us look in the weeds around the entrance and along the freeway. The woman then followed me as I ran between 90th and 72nd again and I was able to recover quite a bit. There was a lot that had blown onto the space over the barricade. Quite a few people stopped to offer help to the crazy person, and yes, I know it was dangerous, but I wasn't thinking too clearly, but I waved them on. Had it been my own checks I wouldn't have worried about it, but it wasn't my money or bank statements and I felt bad. Unfortunately I never found the cash, or 4 of the 8 checks.

I was really upset at the situation, not because I thought my bosses would be mad, but because I was so careless. Although I make mistakes all the time, it's tough when my mistakes affect other people. I'm a baby, and was a little emotional during the ordeal. I talked to one of the owners on the phone and he said not to worry at all about the cash or checks, I just couldn't quit anytime soon. (Last week in our meeting I said I might be quitting and one of them chuckled since I don't work very many hours and then gave me a raise)I work for wonderful people.

When I dropped the lady off at her car she refused to give me her name and address so I could send her a thank you card. She actually kept thanking me for letting her help me and do service. She gave me two waters, since I was a little parched, and a bag of cookies. She then tried to hand me an envelope that I could see contained money. I said "no thank you" because my bosses weren't worried about the money and were millionaires, and she then put it in my hands, said she was rich too, and drove off. The envelope contained $505, which was only $45 short of what I'd lost.

I have no idea what her name is, but I'm so grateful she helped me. I'm also thankful she'd followed her feelings that someone needed her help and I was the first damsel in distress she found. The Lord really does work in mysterious ways.