The Kindness of Strangers...

This morning was a hot one! Our neighbor Keith below us, was up bright and early setting up for a yard sale, hauling out all these things he had collected from the basement and spent hours setting it all up.

Paul and I decided to head to the Farmers Market and get a few things and from there check out the Organic CO-Op that I accidently signed us up for, (don't ask, how I do these things it's a gift really), he wanted to see what our $60.00 membership got us. Trust me it will be worth it.

So we were outside just across the street from out house waiting for the bus, roasting, and it seemed like the bus was taking a lot longer then it normally does. All of the sudden the lady who was helping our neighbor set up his garage sale came over and asked us if we were headed to the farmers market. Then proceeded to offer us a drive! As it turns out her husband and one of her sons sell organic produce from their farm just outside of town and they live a house away from us. She said she was just running something down to her son, and thought she would give us a lift. We were so shocked that someone offered us a drive, the whole "Don't get in the van with strangers" lesson you got a kid on your first day of school every year, came back to me. Before we knew it we are in the van with this lady and on our way. She was so sweet, was asking us why we don't own a car, and says she can't understand cause she has lived in a rural community all her life, how people could live without owning a vehicle. We told her that one day we might decide to purchase one, but right now we wanted to see how we could do without, and so far it is pretty good, there are times when sure you would like one just to run errands but overall we really found it would be a waste for us right now. Paul rides the bus for free to school and works right on campus, I live a 15 minute walk from my new job, so really a car would sit in the driveway and rot. As we were getting out of the van she said "Well if you ever need a car to do things with, we have three old vans that you can always borrow one if you need it!". Of course unless it was an emergency I doubt I would ever take her up on that, but still how generous of her!!!!! Is this lady for real?! I asked her what she does here, she tells me she is a nurse here in the maternity ward for one of the local hospitals, and has three sons who she has all home birthed, her husband own 3 acres of land which they grow organic produce on, she explained they aren't certified cause it's a huge process, but they don't use chemicals, they are an older couple, the husband Bob, slightly resembles Jerry Garcia, really they are our kind of people! We learned a lot about our neighbor in that short little drive. Once we got back home with all our fresh produce and such, she waved to us, we walked over to say hello again, and see how the garage sale was going. We got chatting again and she was curious as to what brought us here, and what we use to do, and how we met, all that stuff. Paul offered to help out on their farm whenever they needed it for some sweat equity, she was so excited about that, or helping out at the market which I would be all about, pay me in produce! Finally the mid-day heat was causing me to melt visibly so, we needed to take cover, we told her we would see her soon to drop by if they need anything, then she was so cute, "We will have you in for dinner sometime!" I am still blown away by their genuine generosity! Never under estimate the kindess of strangers.