Surprising Friday

Here I am, an old woman living in a retirement home, and life continues to surprise me. When I was young, problems overwhelmed me. I would try to figure out solutions, and that never seemed to work. I would go into deep depressions. It took me a long time to notice that my problems usually were solved unexpectedly – and usually the outcome was better than anything that I imagined.

Friday night, after a busy day, I couldn’t face getting out a pot and cooking my solitary supper. Besides, all I had was one can of mushroom soup and a refrigerator with a jar of mayonnaise and two loafs of frozen bread. I went downstairs and climbed into my Hyundai, planning to drive to McDonald’s for a sandwich.

I turned the key in the ignition. Not a sound. Not even a grinding of the battery trying to turn over. Nothing. My car was dead.

What could I do? I got out of the car and walked back across the parking lot. I had the keys in my hand but no way to start the car.

As I entered the walkway of my building, I met Nell. I told her my plight, and she said, “I’m going to Taco Bell to get a burrito for my husband. If you don’t mind tacos, you’re welcome to come with me.”

How nice it is to live in a retirement home with such good neighbors!

We were in line, waiting to place our order at the drive-through, I was thinking, “How kind of Nell to do this,” when my cell phone rang. My brother Don said, “Would you like to eat Mexican food? Mary and I are going to El Fenix. We’ll pick you up, and you can come with us.”

I told Nell, “Thank you, but I won’t be ordering after all.”

Instead of getting take-out from Taco Bell and taking it home for a solitary supper, I had enchiladas at a fine restaurant in the delightful company of Don and Mary – and they paid for my supper!

After they brought me home, Don used his jumper cables to start my car. Then he drove my car home to his house. The next morning he charged the battery and brought the car back to me.

All of this I could not have imagined as I sat in that cold car with not a murmur from its engine. What more could an old woman want than a good brother and such a happy end to a Friday?