Monday's workday was a typical day with the students. It was after work that things became eventful. I made my way over to the local Mister Carwash to get Shavodka (my Ford Edge named by my friends) cleaned up and have the oil changed. I dread getting my oil changed. In fact, I dread taking my car for maintenance and repairs, period! I wish it would magically be done all on it's own. Each time I get my oil changed, I can always expect the mechanic to come into the waiting room seeking me out, dirty air filter in hand, telling me I really should do this and that, so Shavodka can have a long healthy life. Most of the time I kindly decline. So after feeling like my time was done, Mister Mechanic came back to inform me that Shavodka would not start. Mister M proceeded to instruct me to take her to AutoZone for a new battery. Mister Mechanic was able to restart her with jumper cables. Communication must have not been high on their priority list. Each time Shavodka went to another station at the carwash in the hands of another she was turned off. To my amusement, another jump was needed. I finally made it over to AutoZone where a nice gentlemen replaced my battery after a great deal of struggle. One hour later my car was mostly clean with a $90.00 fresh battery.
Next, I headed to Target and on to Chick-Fil-A. I decided to run in for my food since the drive-thru was wrapped around the building several hundred times. As I was leaving, a man around the age of 80 was leaning against a car with one shoe off. A young lady was standing near him holding a few bags of food. I walked to my car, but continued watching the situation. I then saw that the young girl was gone and the older fellow was still struggling in an odd position against the car. I hopped out and asked if he was okay. He stated in broken sentences that he was not okay and thought he had broken his hip. I immediately stated we needed to call an ambulance. He proceeded to be very concerned about his needing to get in his car to be taken back home to his wife. I believe he was in such a great shock that he could only point in the direction of his home. Eventually the girl came back with several people including a manager. By now, a crowd had begun to gather. Some were waiting to get into their cars around us, asking to help, or just watching with wide eyes. Finally, I was able to get Mr. Winkler's name out of him and that he lived in care center not too far away. A bystander called the paramedics and we were able to find a chair for Mr. Winkler to sit in the best possible way for a fresh broken hip. As the paramedics arrived, I slipped away praying Mr. Winkler would be able to heal quickly and continue making future trips to retrieve dinner for his dear wife. I have a feeling this was not in his evening plans either.
As I drove home I was thinking about how my evening turned into something I never expected. Life can happen this way. It can happen in wonderful ways or horrible ways. I'm so thankfully that I have a God that never changes. I feel like I have really had to grow up the past several years. I've had many ups and downs. More often down, finding myself sick with an illness normally found in the elderly. I get frustrated at the moment a car battery dies or bad news comes from a friend just diagnosed with cancer. As I look back on times like these, I'm thankful for health and more so for a God who will never leave us or forsake us.
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