Good Samaritans

“How are you doing?” Angela asked.

“Am fine,” the lady responded.

“After we left yesterday, we were so worried about you that’s why we are back to see you. Isn’t it George?”

Holding her close, he replied, “Yeah! Although the doctor assured us you'd be fine. We were still worried about you. Thank God you are indeed OK.”

“Is she your daughter?” Angela asked pointing to a girl wearing a white dress with green dots and hair adorned with ribbons.

“Yes she is,” the lady replied.

“Wow! She is beautiful. Hey, little beauty, what's your name?” Angela asked.

“My name is Rachel,” she replied.

“I want to say a big thank you for your kind gestures. How do I return the favour?”

“No! You don’t have to repay any favour. We are just good Samaritans,” George replied.

The lady narrated her ordeal to them as much as she could remember. She works as a waitress in a pub. It was Friday, one of the busiest days for her during the week. She was taking the orders of a client when she heard two men involved in a heated argument. One was angry with the other that he never allowed the waitress to finish taking his orders before interrupting. As the other refused to take it calmly and admit to his rude behaviour, the angered one splashed his drink on his face with raging annoyance. That led to a fight between the two of them and their men. Next there was sporadic shootings. She managed to escape through the back door. She had got close to the highway when she tripped over a stone and rolled over.

“George, turn around,” Angela implored.

“What? I can see you’re tired of playing games. I win.”

“No. It isn’t about games. Please will you just turn around,” she insisted.

“Then it’s about what. Just accept. I win. Hun?”

“George, turn around!” she shouted hysterically.

By now he could see and understand the urgency in the matter. He immediately turned around.

“What! Who is she? Where is she from?” he asked.

“I don’t know. How should I. Oh! She's badly hurt.”

“She looks like a waitress.”

“How do you know?” Angela asked.

“Can’t you see what she’s wearing. An apron and ...”

“Is she still alive?” Angela cuts in.

George bends over to check. “Yes. I can feel her heart beat. She’s still alive.”

“What do we do now?”

“We take her to the hospital.”

“How? There’s no sight of one around. Moreover, we also need some help. You know?”

“I certainly do.”

“So?”

‘'So, we get help for her and then us too. Her first. Then we next.”

“Ok. What do you suggest?”

“I suggest we flag down someone.”

“Ok. Just pray we'll get one to come to our rescue.”

“I certainly hope so.”

They tried to stop ongoing vehicles but to no avail. Later, a truck driver stopped and assisted them. He drove down looking around for a hospital sign post. As soon as he saw one, he negotiated the bend and drove straight down. They were immediately attended to. George and Angela thanked the truck driver. He nodded, waved at them and drove off. They waited for some minutes to see the doctor.

“Doctor, is she going to be Ok?” George asked.

“Yes, she sure will.”

“Doctor, can we go?” Angela asked.

“Yes. You definitely can.”

“Can we come back to check on her?” she further asked.

“Yes. You sure can. The choice is yours. You’re most welcome.”

“Thank you doctor.” George stretched forth his hand for a shake.

“That’s the last I can remember. Myself falling and rolling over. Then the next thing I woke up on this bed. Thank you so much.” She was already in tears.

“No. You need not cry. Thank God we got help for you. And thank God you're alive,” Angela spoke holding her hand.

“Sorry. Didn’t tell you my name. I’m Sheila. Sheila Peterson.”

George and Angela looked at each other. And looked at her again. He had once told her of one of his neighbourhood crush. A girl by that name. He and his family just moved to the neighbourhood. As soon as he saw her he couldn’t help but think of her.

“Mum, I have something to say.”

“What’s it son?”

“Mum, it’s a true confession.”

“What confession? Oh! My God. What have you done this time around?”

“Not anything bad, mum.”

“I certainly hope so.”

“Then, what’s it. I'm all ears.”

“Mum, it’s about that girl?”

“Oh! Good Lord. You've gone around chasing some girl.”

“No. Not exactly, mum.”

“Ok. What’s the matter?”

“It’s that girl. Sheila Peterson living some blocks away.”

“What’s about Colonel’s daughter?”

“I like her. I can’t stop thinking about ...”

Mrs Smith cuts in. “You had better like her from afar. You had better also stop thinking about her. Am not ready to have a bullet running through my son. Moreover, aren’t you too young for love affair?”

“Oh! Mum.”

“Yeah! You should be having affair with your studies this time around. Nothing more. Then.”

“Then what, mum?”

“Then all those silly and naughty love affair come next.”

“Why do you call it silly and naughty?”

“Yeah! Because after some years you gravitate to something deeper. Beyond the surface. Something deeper than mouthed words.”

“Mum, don’t understand.”

“Don’t worry. With time you will. Then crush will be a silly thing of the past.”

“Hello! Mum.”

“Hello! Son. How are you?

“Mum, am fine.”

 “How's she? Your wife. Please remind me of her name.”

“You mean Angela. She’s doing well and good.”

“Oh! That’s good.”

“Mum, guess what?”

“Are you coming to see me?”

“No! That’s not it.”

“But you haven’t come to see me for a while.”

“I will, mum. Soon.”

“Ok. What’s the guess? I can’t guess anything.”

“Ok. I saw Sheila Peterson.”

“The Colonel’s daughter?”

“Yes.”

“What’s about her? Is she married?”

“No. She isn’t. But she has a beautiful daughter. As pretty as she is.”

“Wow!”

“Yeah mum. She was in trouble. We helped her. I mean Angela and l.”

“Yeah! Angela! Please can you both come to see me next weekend. We are organising a family treat. Your dad and I.”

“Ok.”

“Thank you son. See you later. Love you.”

“Love you too, mum. Bye.”

George wondered why his mum wasn’t anxious to hear more about Sheila. Was she hiding something? Did she know something more about her? Has Sheila offended her in any way? These he asked himself.