Bless You, A.W.!


An open letter to the concerned citizen who gave me the information necessary to track down the driver of the car that hit mine Friday morning and drove off.

Bless you, A.W.,* for taking the trouble to leave your phone number and the license plate number for the car that hit mine Friday morning.

You and I have never met. We just spoke on the telephone today when you returned my call. I was hoping that with your name I'd be able to find an address so I could send you a thank you card and token of my appreciation for your kindness. I did not want to ask you for your address when we spoke, as I am sure, given the kind of person you are, that you would have insisted that I not send you anything.

But you are not listed in the phone directory.

We live in the same general neighborhood, which is known for its rampant crime. It is unusual for someone to go out of their way to put themselves forward as witness to a crime even in better neighborhoods. People just "don't want to get involved."

But you did.

Bless you, because that means I will be able to fix my car and won't have to pay the $200 deductible. Bless you, because that $200 is a princely sum for me, as it would be for just about anyone who lives in our neighborhood (except, of course, the drug dealers).

Bless you, because it reminds me -- and all of us who could easily become cynical about human nature, especially when we are victims of crime -- that there are good people in the world, people who will choose to do the right thing no matter what. And yes, those good people even live in our neighborhood.
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*I would like to put my benefactor's name here, but have left it out, just in case she prefers not to be known to others.

Posted: Sat - February 28, 2004 at 09:24 AM          

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