Are you a Good Samaritan?
By Ridgydidge
@Ridgydidge (558)
Australia
March 19, 2007 2:01am CST
Yesterday Sunday I had to work I gave a friend a lift in, so when I got out of the car I did not do my usual check list that I do as I get out of the car. I parked my car on the main street (free parking on Sundays), at 5.30 am and walked into work. I was given flexi time at 9.30am, before leaving the building I went looking for my car keys, couldn’t find them. Before going into panic mode, I thought I’d check I didn’t lock them in the car. Went back to the car, was looking in the windows when a lady across the road called out asking if the car was mine. I ran over and she said my keys were in the door, and she took them to the local police beat (shopfront police station). I thanked her big time, and ran (well walked quickly) to the police shopfront. The police had already run a check on my rego number & rang my husband just as I was walking in the door.
It was one of the scariest 15 minutes of my life. I know the person that did the kind deed of taking my keys to the police did not have to, and I’m sure that she does not visit this web site, but I still just wanted to say a huge thankyou again.
I know I have someone watching out for me. That part of town were I work is not one of the safest places; I would not have been surprise, if the car had been stolen.
If you were in this situation either mine or my Good Samaritan’s, what would you have done? Taken the keys to the police, or taken the car? lol
!!!BTW I read and rate each post but my not be able to respond to all.
2 people like this
6 responses
@margieanneart (26423)
• United States
19 Mar 07
I am so happy for you that God indeed was watching over you with an angel. I would have done the same thing she did. I believe and live my life with the golden rule.
1 person likes this
@Ridgydidge (558)
• Australia
24 Mar 07
Thanks for your responce. My mum & gran are visiting me at the moment for my daughters 11th birthday, I retold my story to them. Mums response was "your father was watching over you."
@14missy (3183)
• Australia
19 Mar 07
OMG How lucky were you!?! Have you any way to find this lady and thank her with some flowers or something? You are so lucky your beautiful car was not stolen. That would have been heartbreaking to everyone as I don't think people steal cars and return them in working order very often.
In her position I would have done the same thing. If the car has central locking - try putting keys in bag and then locking door from inside as I do. I actually have remote locking so I don't think I have ever used my key to lock the door. Scary for you though. Hope you are over it now.
1 person likes this
@Ridgydidge (558)
• Australia
19 Mar 07
I know wasn't till after I was at the police station that I realised I missed an oppertunity to offer money or get a name & phone number... *sigh*. I"m afraid I wasn't thinking straight.
Normally I clip the keys to my bag & central lock from the drivers side before shutting door. But I then relised I left my phone in the car, so opened the car up again. Then got distrated with the person I car pooled with... Wasn't till leaving work I relised I did not have my keys... Just proves some one is watching over me, if not me my car.... lol ;)
@oldboy46 (2129)
• Australia
12 May 07
Really everyone would like to think that they would do the same thing as this lady did. Luckily there are only a minority of people who would take the car, at least that is what we would hope. If I was not in a hurry, I might wait around for a while to see if anyone returned, but then yes I would take the keys to the police station. But I would leave some sort of message on the car to let the owner know about it as well.
My brother and his wife go to Sydney regularly from the country, and they always park their car in the same place. Not the best of suburbs but a close friend of theirs used to live near there till a few years ago. Now when they park their car, this old man who sits on his front verandah keeps an eye on it for them.
As they only go there for medical appointments, they can be gone for up to 6 hours. But this old man is always there when they return, and tells them what has been happening etc. Now that is another good samaritan in my book and this old man will never let them give him anything at all. He just tells them that he enjoys it, because they always stop and talk to him, which they also used to do when they visited their friend when he lived in the next street.
There are never enough good samaritans in this world, but we always hope that we will find one who crosses our path during life.
@shoelover (896)
• Australia
19 Mar 07
What a lovely lady you had the chance to meet. I would have done exactly as she did as just leaving a note would have given anybody a chance to claim your keys. So she was smart as well as considerate.
@Ridgydidge (558)
• Australia
19 Mar 07
I know what you mean; I couldn't believe my timing, to walk out to my car, looking for my keys, and the person in question was just walking passed. She was able to tell me where they were, I don’t think I would have thought to go to the police myself, but if I was later going out there, I would have received a message from my husband telling me about it. Thankyou for your responce
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
19 Mar 07
You were lucky. I "almost" lost mine. I came out of the grocery store and got into my car and as I had left the door open I had nott looked for my keys just as I was about to close the door I notice keys lying on the ground so I thought I'd pick them up and take them to the store incase someone was looking for them. When I picked them up they looked familiar..yes I was my own good samaritan...they were my own keys. LOL. Now I am very careful to put them in my purse.
1 person likes this
@trinidadvelasco (11401)
• Philippines
19 Mar 07
How thankful you must have been to that goodhearted woman. I know how scary an experience such as the one you went through can be. I don't want that to happen to me.
No, I will never take your car. I am not that desperate to have one, anyway. If the most sensible thing to do will be to bring the carkeys to the police, I will do just that. May you never be in that situation ever again.
1 person likes this
