Thursday, January 04, 2007

a helping hand ... or was it?

it has been absolutely balmy weather here in the prairies ... daytime highs have been above freezing ... so i have tried to take the opportunity to go for walks every day ...

yesterday i had an interesting encounter on the home stretch of my jaunt ... i met up with a fellow who was walking his bike ... with 2 feet of snow on either side of the sidewalk, i was going to get out of his way - especially since he seemed to be limping along painfully slow ... he saw me and started to do the same, moving near the snowbank - when all of a sudden, he lost his balance! he did a face plant in the snow, with his bike landing on top of him ...

i hurried over and took the bike off the poor guy, and offered him my hand - but that didn't work, he was too heavy for me to yank to his feet ... so he floundered around in the deep snow for a bit - with me tending to his bike ... finally he crawled/rolled his way out of the snowbank ... onto the sidewalk ... on his hands and knees ... then after 2 failed attempts, he made it to his feet ...

as he swayed there in front of me, i realized what his REAL problem was ... whoooo his breath could have peeled wallpaper ...

that was probably why he wasn't riding his bike, he couldn't stay on it or steer straight ...

i just chuckled at the scene we must have made ... me holding his bike, as he struggled to get back up and onto his unsteady feet ...

yup yup ... our little town has a varied group of folks in it ...

14 comments:

Terry said...

Dear Saija...What a loving soul you are!

I think that most people would have not even offered this man a helping hand and there you were with yours.
Every town DOES have them and that is for sure but a little bit of kindness goes a long way.
My sister, Betty is just like that.
She used to work in the emergency room at the Niagara Falls Hospital.
One time there was a young lad brought in that had tried but failed to commit suicide.He had swallowed drano.
Betty was the nurse that attended to him and her heart was just breaking as she looked after the poor lad.
He was of course admitted into the hospital.
The next day when Betty was working, a young man in a wheel chair gave her a long look and said, "I know you!'
Betty shyly replied that she didn't know.
Then to Betty's amazment the fellow said..."Yes! I remember your kind face. You are the nurse that looked after me last night!"
So nice,eh Saija?

And so nice about our Saija too!!...Love Terry

You are following your Master's example for sure..1 Timothy 1:15.."This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

Maggie Ann said...

My lands, what a unique experience that was! That was awesome of you to help him.

Anonymous said...

Terry and Maggie Ann pretty much already said what I thought. It's so easy to walk past a drunk or a homeless or a mentally ill person - but to stop and help them when they're in need - it blesses me deeply when I see someone doing that!

Anonymous said...

What a blessing you were there to assist.

Michael said...

You are an angel.

Take Care
Michael

Saija said...

terry ... betty sounds likes a good-hearted woman ... as for me - i was just doing what i think everyone else would have done ... really - no big deal there! but you are a sweetie to encourage me on ... thank you ...

maggie ann ... i had my family in stitches when i told them about it ... i guess they could picture me perfectly ... :o)

eija ... and here i was telling the story for the humour side ... i truly do think everyone would have helped this poor guy ...

tina ... haven't seen you here for abit! blessings on your new year! :o)

michael ... not really - honestly! ... wish i would have had my camera tho! but in winter, the digis work so sluggishly in the cold ...

Anonymous said...

You have done this unto the least of these... what a site it must have been! You go Saija!

Jammie J. said...

Oh dear! Better a bike than a car, I suppose. :)

Saija said...

antibk ... yes, i'm sure it was a site! ... i tried to yank him up all kinds of ways, and he was pretty well dead weight!

jeanette ... that's what i thought too, and even the bike seemed to be a challenge!

susie ... i thought it was candid camera for a sec ... !

Debra said...

...tee...heee... How good of you to stay there. I like to think I would too, but it's one of those things that you never know until you actually experience it... What an adventurous walk! :) Blessings, Debra

Linda said...

You probably saved him from a "biking under the influence" ticket!

Saija said...

debra ... well you would have had pity too, i'm sure ... after his roll in the snow, i thought he might catch a cold, but he said he only had another block to go ... whew!

linda ... *grin* ... maybe!

Catherine said...

Maybe he was just trying to keep his blood warm in all that snow? :) Great story, Saija!

Saija said...

catherine ... poor guy looked like a snowman after his faceplant and roll in it!