Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Fear & Faith on a Friday

What a fiasco! What a treat!
Last Friday while getting gas, I noticed an old woman sitting in a car with an obvious flat tire. With my kids safely in the A/Ced van, I walked over and asked her if she needed any help. She pointed in an obscure direction and said her husband was calling someone. In the opposite direction, an old man stood at a payphone trying to punch numbers for a call. Must be a match! So I gingerly approached him, fearful that I might give him a heart attack if I startled him. He was indeed the 'husband' but wasn't getting anywhere on the phone so I offered my cell phone to him. After he had called for help, he asked if I would take his sick wife home. "...the heat, you know." So I helped his wife into the van, a little surprised he trusted a stranger with his sweetheart. He gave me vague directions and told me "she gets mixed up sometimes..." Okay... While driving home, she asked me "Are you a Mormon girl?" Well I haven't been a 'girl' for many years but I answered her "Yes!" She had guessed as much. She had a good Mormon friend, she said. When I dropped her off at home and helped her inside, I noticed several Air force decorations and asked about them. Her husband, Gene Cavanaugh was a Paratrooper in WWII and dropped into the Battle of the Bulge! So cool! And I got to meet him!
I laugh at my fear of approaching them and wonder at his fear of jumping into Belgium to fight Germans in what became the biggest and bloodiest battle that American forces experienced in World War II. How easy it seems now to trust your wife to a Mormon girl after trusting your life to God and then jumping out of a plane.
I'm still geeking out about the experience. How lucky am I to help someone who fought for my freedom. I think if I'd had my camera on me I would have asked for a picture. Probably better that I don't carry my camera with me!

3 comments:

paynejandj said...

Jenny, that is really cool. Good for you! Camera phone maybe?

Molly Bice-Jackson said...

Great story Jenny. Though...it's really not a story. It's your life. It's YOU being so great. I love meeting new people and learning from them everyday. That would include Peter. (Not that I RE-MEET him everyday, I haven't lost my mind that much, but I definitely learn from him).

Anonymous said...

Wow I'm so proud of you Jenny. You're such a good example. I think I'm a little scared to talk to strangers.