Not too long ago I was on my way to work. I was driving in to the studio and thought that I should not break my daily habit. My daily habit, my morning weakness, is a large Iced Coffee from Dunkin Donuts. Not just any Iced Coffee. For those of you who are unfamiliar to DD's coffee on ice let me share a small little pleasure with you. You have your choice of 9 different flavors and if you combine some of those flavors well, that changes everything. The girls at my local Dunkin Donuts know my favorite. I digress. This isn't really about my coffee. Well, sort of it is, because if I had not made the command decision to stop for coffee this particular morning I would have missed a wonderful act of kindness.
So, here we go. I leave Dunkin Donuts and pull out onto Speedway 60. Brandon Blvd, or highway 60, is infamous for it's high rate of speed even though it runs right through the center of our town. This is partly why I said a quick prayer for the girl on the bike. She was definitely risking life and limb by cycling on this particular road. 2 miles up the road is the last stop light before I take my exit of hwy 60 and enter onto Interstate 75 north. I was sitting at the light and I looked to my right. There was a bike leaning against a metal sign post on the curb. When I recognized the bike as the one the TnT girl was riding my heart started to pound and I could feel the tears starting to well up in my eyes. Frantically I searched the shoulder and the road for this young TnT girl's body. As my eyes searched for some sign of where she might be I scanned to my left and saw the girl. She was behind and old Ford Focus and was pushing this car (all by herself) across four lanes of cars. There was an older (probably 70's) woman trying to steer it. I was about 4 cars back from her and 3 lanes over. I looked at the vehicles in front of me and the majority of them were full of single occupants who were men. I was wearing high heels and a skirt this morning. If I had had flats on I could have run up quick enough to help. In heels, forget it. Not one solitary man got out of his car and offered to help or attempted to engage with this lone girl in her efforts to help out a stranded old woman.
p.s. for those of you who read this blog and are not familiar with the "Team in Training" group, they ride, swim, run, for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. They are always at the races Bigun and I attend. Their goal is to make a difference in a different way. They are a great group and it's always fun to see them cross the finish line at the Tris. Click on "Team in Training" if you would like to visit their web site and learn more.
So, there I was, right turn signal on and slowing down to turn into the driveway for the express lane of Dunkin Donuts. I saw a girl on her road bike about to cross over the drive just as I was coming up on my turn. I slowed down and waited for her to pass. As she did I said a silent prayer and prayed for a safe ride for her. I noticed she was outfitted in her Team in Training Tri gear. I added an extra little thank you for the TNT rider in my quick prayer and proceeded towards the express window for my waiting coffee. The girls in the express lane need only see my car pull in and they have my coffee made before I ever make it to the window. I love those girls!!!
So, here we go. I leave Dunkin Donuts and pull out onto Speedway 60. Brandon Blvd, or highway 60, is infamous for it's high rate of speed even though it runs right through the center of our town. This is partly why I said a quick prayer for the girl on the bike. She was definitely risking life and limb by cycling on this particular road. 2 miles up the road is the last stop light before I take my exit of hwy 60 and enter onto Interstate 75 north. I was sitting at the light and I looked to my right. There was a bike leaning against a metal sign post on the curb. When I recognized the bike as the one the TnT girl was riding my heart started to pound and I could feel the tears starting to well up in my eyes. Frantically I searched the shoulder and the road for this young TnT girl's body. As my eyes searched for some sign of where she might be I scanned to my left and saw the girl. She was behind and old Ford Focus and was pushing this car (all by herself) across four lanes of cars. There was an older (probably 70's) woman trying to steer it. I was about 4 cars back from her and 3 lanes over. I looked at the vehicles in front of me and the majority of them were full of single occupants who were men. I was wearing high heels and a skirt this morning. If I had had flats on I could have run up quick enough to help. In heels, forget it. Not one solitary man got out of his car and offered to help or attempted to engage with this lone girl in her efforts to help out a stranded old woman. Now, I realize I don't know this girl who broke from her ride to help this stranded woman. What I do know, is that I was moved. Yes I felt like a schmuck sitting in my car and watching instead of helping. In all honesty though, I really was helpless in my pumps. At my age and klutzy ways, walking in them is a feat. Seeing 4 lanes of traffic with atleast 10 men behind the wheels of pick ups just sit and watch the event happen made me furious. Instantly I was proud to be a part of the triathlon community. I was proud to know that she exemplifies the majority of the people we have met over the past two years and I was proud of her without ever having met her. I wish I could find out who she was and buy her lunch. Her efforts to help others doesn't stop with the team shirt she was wearing. That was obvious as she pushed this car off the road in her bike shoes. She was AWESOME. Bearing witness was my privilege.
p.s. for those of you who read this blog and are not familiar with the "Team in Training" group, they ride, swim, run, for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. They are always at the races Bigun and I attend. Their goal is to make a difference in a different way. They are a great group and it's always fun to see them cross the finish line at the Tris. Click on "Team in Training" if you would like to visit their web site and learn more. 
1 comment:
=:-) nice oped hunny-bunch.
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