There Are Still Kind, Decent People Out There

In this day and age of hearing nothing but the negative aspects of human nature and individuals, I’d like to take time to let the general public know that there still are some very decent and caring individuals in society. Unfortunately, we hear so little of these people.

My story deals with an accident that occurred the evening of July 12. My mother stopped at the service station at 10th and Maple in Spokane. While she was pumping gas, she became the victim of a bizarre accident. A young woman turned into the station lot, going about 60 mph, and slammed into another car, which in turn hit my mother’s car.

As a result, my mother was knocked violently into the island of pumps. Ironically, my mother had just had a cast removed from her left leg which she had broken last October. The same leg was banged into the pumps and was badly bruised.

There were many witnesses; most of them were concerned and helpful. They took the time to inquire if she was all right. They helped her to her feet and guided her inside. One woman, who called herself Angela, made all the necessary phone calls and offered all sorts of advice. She told her to keep her leg elevated so as to not go into shock. Angela called me, and when I arrived, she said: “Now that you are here, everything should be all right.” I shook hands with her and thanked her; then she disappeared.

A young man and his woman companion also stayed with my mother, offering moral support until paramedics arrived. The cashier at the store displayed extreme courtesy and honesty. My mother had prepaid for the gas but had pumped only 75 cents’ worth when the accident happened. The clerk refunded her money, including the 75 cents.

Some of these kind people were employees of the store, some were residents of nearby houses, some were off the bus and some were store customers, but all had one thing in common: They all took time from their busy day to help a stranger.

They deserve recognition. My mother and I want to thank all of them for their time, effort and consideration. We also want to thank them for renewing our faith in people.

MEMO: “Your Turn” is a feature of the Wednesday and Saturday Opinion pages. To submit a column for consideration, call Rebecca Nappi/459-5496 or Doug Floyd/459-5466.