Christmas Samaritans?

I came home from the cabin on Tuesday because I was worried about the incoming storm.

I didn't go anywhere on Wednesday because I was worried about the incoming storm.

We stayed home on Thursday because I was worried about the incoming storm.

It's Friday - I was pretty much done with being in the house. However, the storm not only had gotten here, it got here with a fury! But, I have a Jeep and I love my Jeep.

Carol called - telling me that someone had dug out her driveway and the alley behind her house. The main road looked clear and if I could get there, we could actually have a little bit of Christmas and maybe some food!

Poor Max. He scooped a path to the Jeep, turned it on to warm it up and then we loaded everything into the car and headed out. (Have I mentioned I love my Jeep? No problem getting out - just a little extra push on the gas to get through the drifts.)

Mini vans stuck in side streets, cars driving too fast, small cars trying to get through the mess in the intersections. All great entertainment for me.

I took the main roads to get to her house and when I turned onto Military, I drove a few blocks and there was a poor, older man stuck in a snowdrift. He'd been walking. He couldn't get himself up and out. I passed him, realized what was going on, looked in my rearview mirror, saw absolutely no one and backed up to see what we could do.

Max got out of the Jeep to see about helping this man up. Well, I don't know what this guy was doing, but he couldn't help Max at all. He acted like so much dead weight. I asked if they needed a 911 call. The guy didn't refuse it, Max was beginning to get worried. The guy kept dragging himself and Max back to the ground. So, I called. Then, a young man pulled up in a pickup and between the two of them, they got the man out of the drift and he took off walking back to his apartment. WEIRD!

Max got back into the Jeep. The guy was on his way to buy cigarettes. Are you freakin' kidding me? Then, it occurred to me. It had to be pretty awful for him to head out in this weather. If he needed cigarettes, he probably needed them and Christmas Day is not about teaching the man a lesson. We pulled up in front of the apartment building (oh, I had called off the rescue workers, telling them I would watch until he got home and ensure that he was really safe), and Max asked the guy what kind of cigarettes he smoked. We'll go buy them for you.

Off we went ... to buy cigarettes ... for a stranger. Walgreens - closed. Sinclair - closed. Bucky's - closed. Sheesh! This is going to take awhile. Finally, Quick Trip was open. In we went. We got food to take to Carol's and two packs of cigarettes. Back to the guy's apartment. Merry Christmas, dude ... enjoy your evening. Please stay inside now.

On our way to Carol's. That really great job of plowing her alley? Two feet of snow in front of it. The city had just come through. Oh, good heavens. There was no way my Jeep was hopping that drift. 1/2 block from her house and we can't get there. Nowhere to park. Nothing we can do. Are you kidding me with this?

Then, a man from the apartment complex next to hers needed to leave. He came out with a shovel and was working through the drift. I pulled up and asked Max to spell him with the shovel (see how this works? I'm the Good Samaritan, Max does the work). Then Carol came out with two more shovels and before we knew it, it was clear again and in we went and off he went to do whatever it was he needed to do.

Laundry and Christmas with Carol and an evening out of the house. With a little bit of hilarity on the side. I mean, who goes on a trek to buy cigarettes for a stranger? Obviously, Diane and Max do.

I'll be out again tomorrow, I guarantee it. I love my Jeep!

Merry Christmas!