A Helping Hand

Well, today was a late day for Amy.  We did not head home until about 5:45.  We knew this going in and planned ahead on eating McDonald's for dinner.  Yes, not the best choice financially or nutritionally, but this week is already busy, hectic, and full of late nights so we gave in.  Hey, we're only human!  Anyway, despite the fact that we were not going to get home at a remotely decent time, we still took the time to help out a complete stranger.  See it all happened like this.  We were driving home on I10 and out of nowhere two cars slam into one another.  One was an older Mercedes and the other a Chevy truck.  The Mercedes swerved back and forth several times across 4 lanes of traffic, the driver obviously attempting to regain control over the vehicle.  The truck on the other hand began to pull to the side of the freeway.  Amy and I, along with every other rush-hour driver I'm sure, cautiously slowed and watched in amazement.  As we passed the Mercedes, now under control, we noticed that it was just a kid, he couldn't have been more than 18 or 19 years old.  We felt bad for him since what had happened was obviously traumatic.  Then we noticed the truck that had pulled over.  The driver looked out and behind him and then continued to drive off!  We were astonished.  Was he pulling over so they could exchange info?  We watched as we drove by.  Nope, he was leaving the scene.  Instantly we felt more empathetic for the young driver of the other car.  I got my iPhone, never too far away, and copied down the plate numbers of the truck and a description, just in case.  This all happened in a matter of a few minutes, obviously we had to continue driving on the freeway.  Amy began to feel for the young man left behind.  We saw most of what had happened and had vital information on the other, now gone, car.  What do we do?  We were late, the kids were hungry, we were all tired.  What to do?  The choice was simple really, we turned around and began our search for the other driver.  As it turned out we didn't go far enough and had to circle back around, but we found him, now pulled onto the side of the freeway, accompanied by a wrecker and police.  Amy stopped in between the entrance ramp and the feeder and I ran across to give my information in hopes that it might come in handy.  The poor guy looked dazed.  As I tried to tell him and those surrounding I had info on the other car, I was informed that he didn't fully realize what had happened.  I felt so bad.  Luckily I was able to give my story and all of the information (via my iPhone!) to an officer.  We then went on our way home, well to McDonald's first and then home.  What will come of this?  Maybe nothing.  But Amy and I just kept thinking about the young man, he was someone's little boy.  I saw his license and it was the vertical one rather than the horizontal one, clearly he was under 21.  Poor guy.  Amy has been in hit and run accidents before and we just wanted to help.  I just hope that the information we were able to give can be some sort of help in some way.  We'll see, or maybe we won't?  Who knows?  We tried at least.  Being a parent changes you.  Do you have to be a parent, or have an iPhone, to help someone?  No, but it does change the way you look at someone.  The parenting aspect that is, not the iPhone.  Well, not necessarily, I mean it does change your life an awful lot!  Man I love my iPhone.  But I digress again.  I just hope that all with that boy is ok and, hopefully it will never be needed, but if either of the boys were ever in a similar situation someone would be there and willing to help.
 
On a side note, somewhat funny.  I had to give the officer my birthdate and so I did.  Then he asked for a description of the driver who fled the scene.  I said he looked around my age, because he kind of did.  I'm a bad judge of things like that though so who knows.  Anyway, when I said that the officer wrote down 30's!  30's!  Seriously?  I'm 29!  So a slightly comical, slightly depressing side note to tonight's excitement.  All of that and the one thing that sticks out is the fact that I am now, 7 months too early, being referred to as being in my 30's!  Not now!  Not yet!  30, as if!  I'm going to live up the last bit of 20's I have while I can!  30's!  Hmpf! :)

All is well, in a Good Samaritan way, in Drosche Land.