Nine-Thirty on a Rainy Tuesday

On A Rainy Tuesday

As I was leaving the bar downtown on a rainy Tuesday.  When I got to my car I checked the dashboard and saw the time was 9:30 pm.  It wasn’t as late as I thought, and so I smiled.  As the rain poured down onto my windshield, obstructing my view I slowed down my speed so I wouldn’t hit anything.  No one should have been on the road, but it didn’t matter, I had to be cautious just in case.  I reflected back to early in the evening. 

Hanging out at the bar with a few friends from work.  We got together a few times a week at the local bar down the street.   We were all bachelors, never being married or having a steady girl.  So we hung out a few times a week at the bar.  We could vent about office politics, discuss upcoming projects, enjoy a quick burger and maybe meet someone.  I guess in all honesty female companionship might have been high on our list of priorities, at least I knew it was high on my list.  All in all, I enjoyed hanging out with the guys.  But once again after we finished eating, still no female companion even came into the bar.  After a couple of beers, and a quick game of darts it was time to hit the road.     Upon walking out of the bar a sudden storm hit, showing no mercy.  We each had to race to get to our cars to keep from getting drenched.

Now the dashboard showed 9:35, not too much time had passed.   Time was not on my side, only five minutes had passed.  I guess that was a good thing since I had nowhere in particular to be or no certain time to get there.   I continue to drive slowly, too many accidents happen on wet rainy roads.  The road was deserted with only a few cars.   I guess no one wanted to be caught in this storm which really came out of nowhere.  Even the weather report showed sunny skies and cool temperatures tonight.  It was the perfect fall weather.  Not ready for sweaters, and time to put away sandals. 

 I had been driving for about 10 minutes when I turned off the highway to take this little shortcut I had found.   One day on my way home to my apartment complex the city was working on the street, so I had to take a detour.  I found out this detour saved me some time, so every now and again I took the shortcut.  

As I turned onto the side street I immediately saw a car pulled off to the side of the road.  Had I not been driving carefully I might have missed it.  I was still a way back but I could see the hazard lights flashing.  In between the rain falling down, my wipers were really getting a workout.  I was thinking about slowing down, but then again maybe not.  With all the stories you hear these days, stopping to help someone is the last thing you would do.  I remember someone said once there was like a blanket in the middle of the street.  And when you got out of your car to see what it was, then you got jumped and pulled into the bushes.  People can be so strange these days.  I don’t mind someone taking my car, I do mind however someone taking my life.  I can fight back but what am I supposed to do if it’s more than one person.  I thought about my mom, I would hate for her to have to identify my body, that would kill her.  I couldn’t do that to my family, what was I thinking?   Who would be out in all this mess anyway?

As I slowed down I then noticed someone standing outside the car, it was a woman.  I knew it was a woman wearing a dress, I think it’s called a sheath dress.  One of those dresses that hug every curve you have.  But why would a lady stand outside in this storm?  I don’t care even if she does have an umbrella, it’s just not right.  Some kind of ploy to get me to stop, well “I’m not falling for that one, no sir.”  I also remember hearing about men who stop to help beautiful women and end up kidnapped or killed.  But why would anyone want to kidnap me, I’m not worth anything really.  But they might not know it, they just see me driving a nice car and think he must be worth something.  No sir, not me I’m not buying it.  A woman that hot has someone coming for her, I’m not playing the patsy in this picture.  Find another sucker!

As I was getting closer to the back of the car I could see it was a Honda, but it looked like an older model.  Why was she standing outside of her car?  Now that does seem suspicious to me.  Everyone has a cell phone these days, if her car stopped she could call for help.  Maybe she did, she has called her boyfriend and he’s on his way to help.  And she got out of the car so he wouldn’t miss seeing her, yes that’s it.  So I can go on my way, no problem.  Or maybe she has a husband and she’s waiting for him.   But why get out of the car unless it’s some kind of trick.  Who wouldn’t come to her aid,  and why is she outside the car?  

As my car slowly moved up passing by the driver’s side door, there she was with her back to me.  Now, who would be out here without noticing who’s coming and going?  I knew it, I just knew it was some kind of scheme to make me pull over.  I bet she isn’t even pretty, she could be a dude.  Then I thought to myself, no wonder I’m still single. I've made up all these possibilities about this woman.  I bet that’s why I can’t get a date.  I slowly pass by the mysterious woman who’s facing the open hood of her car. 

Maybe I should stop. It would be the right thing to do, after all, I have a sister, a mother, and good friends with lots of women.  I would hope on a rainy night like this someone would help one of them.  It’s that pay it forward thing, and if I get jumped well I tried to do the right thing.

I pulled way up ahead of her, and she kept her focus under the hood.  I decided I would contact Bobby and tell him what I was going to do.  That way if I didn’t show up the next morning he would know what happened and where I was.  “Yes, that’s a good plan.”

I would text Bobby and let him know I took my shortcut and found a car on the side of the road.  I got out to help a damsel in distress.  And if I don’t get back with him in 5 minutes, to call the cops.  I didn’t even want Bobby to have to identify my body.  I was hoping I wasn’t being a drama queen, I just didn’t want to pay for trying to help someone.  

I pulled on up ahead, got out of my car, and slowly began walking towards the woman with her back to me.  I pulled up the collar on my Northface jacket, the rain made it feel cooler than it really was.  I had my hands in my pocket, I didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable.  But at the same time, I wanted it to appear that I might be packing more than just my fingers. 

As I walked up to the back of her I said very masculinely, “Hey Miss having car trouble?”  Right after those words came out of my mouth I thought, ‘what a dope’.  Of course, she’s having car trouble, why else would she be standing out in a storm.  As I stood there looking at her car thinking to myself what a number one dope I was for what I had just said, she turned around to face me. 

Right then and there I saw stars, not in her but on me.  A heavenly glow circled around her head, a halo?  A beautiful face, with raindrops on it.  For a minute I was speechless, how could this beauty be alone?  Surely someone would come to her aid.  What man wouldn’t want to be there for her? 

And then she spoke, “yes I’m having car trouble, but to be honest I’m not surprised.  It’s a very old car, somewhat unreliable.  I was hoping I could get to where I was going before it stalled.”  She said all this while matching the gaze I had fixed on her.  She had the face of an angel and the figure of a model, I knew immediately I was way out of my league.

After I finally looked away from the angel's face I turned my attention to her car.  With the hood up, I looked up and down as if I knew something about cars, which I didn’t.  Now is when I remember what my dad said all those years ago, back when I was in high school.  

“You need to take Shop class.  Because what are you going to do when a beautiful woman is stranded by the side of the road.  How are you going to be able to help her?  You can’t fix her car, so what can you do?  Just smile at her while she waits for the tow truck?”  I just laughed as my dad gave me his thoughts on how to pick up women.  ‘Who’s laughing now?’

I needed to say something, this angel was just standing in the rain and I was silent.  “Well I wish I could help you out, but I know nothing about cars.”  I don’t think I should have admitted that much of the truth.  No wonder I don’t have a girlfriend, I’m really bad in these scenarios. 

“I can call you a tow truck.”  Another brilliant deduction, Sherlock.  I just keep stating the obvious, no wonder I don’t have a girlfriend or any prospects.  What a loser!

“Thank you, but I’ve already called the Tow Truck guy, I’m just waiting for him to arrive.  I got out of my car because I wasn’t getting any signal, then my battery died.  I guess this isn’t my lucky day, by the way, my name is Melody, Melody Songbird.'' She extended her hand to me.  I was paralyzed by the fact she gave me her name. 

“Hi Melody Songbird, do you sing?”  I was feeling a little better, none of the stupid things I said seem to affect her anyway.    She just smiled back to me, “I can sing but not like a songbird.  You have to blame that one on my father who married my mother.”  Her smile turned into a cute little chuckle.  I just knew this angel had someone waiting for her at home.  So I knew this was my cue to leave, I met the perfect woman.  I now knew it was time to go and spend the rest of my life thinking about her, no harm no foul.  Right?

“Well since you are ok I will be leaving now.  Maybe you should get back in your car, these back roads are not safe.  I’m sure someone is waiting for you somewhere.  Please be safe until the tow truck arrives.”  As I said that I saw these two big blinding lights coming closer, it was the tow truck. 

I turned back around and smiled at her then walked on past her heading back to my car.  Melody Songbird would always be an angel to me, I will remember this day as long as I live.  

Then she called out to me, “Hey, hey, hey wait a minute.  I turned around to see her quickly heading towards me with that same smile.  As she got right in front of me, looking up I noticed her big beautiful brown eyes, her pouty red lips, and long eyelashes.

“I want to thank you for getting out of your car to see if I needed help.  I’ve seen a lot of cars come down this road and no one stopped to check on me.  I understand these days it’s not wise to be alone on the road.  That people can be deceiving and up to no good.  So I know it must have been hard to know if you should try or not to help me.  I just want you to know I really do appreciate it a lot.  You are very kind.  I’m not sure if the situation was reversed if I would have had the courage to do what you did.  So thank you for taking a chance on me.”  And then she turned and walked back to her car.  

I stood out in the rain as it poured down on my head once again.  As long as I was standing under her umbrella, it kept the rain off.   But when she walked away I was getting soaked again.  But by this time it didn’t matter, I stood in the rain watching the angel walk away.  I had a smile on my face, it wasn’t because I stopped to help or it was because of her?  All of a sudden I felt a lot better about rainy days.

As I pulled the car door open and stepped inside the car, I was amazed that I wasn’t soaking wet, the rain seems to be dying down now.  And even though I had stood in the rain watching and making sure Melody was safe and on her way.  I didn’t get drenched, that was kind of amazing.    My thoughts came to a screeching halt as I realized my cell phone was ringing off the hook.  “OH no, Bobby. I forgot about Bobby, I told him to call me, to check on me. I hope he hasn’t called the cops by now. 

“Hey Bobby sorry about that man, I’m ok, yea, yea, I helped a damsel in distress.  Yea, I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow.  But for now, I’m heading home.”  I ended my call to Bobby and drove on home.  It would be easy to fall asleep, especially tonight. 

Before I hung up talking to Bobby, I had to promise to fill him in tomorrow.  I started my car and pulled back onto the deserted road and headed for home.  One rainy Tuesday I met an angel.