NEW YORKERS ARE INDEED CARING PEOPLE!

Some people may feel that NYC is a city filled with cold, uncaring people. That is absolutely not true! Two nights ago I left a great veterinary lecture and was headed home on the FDR Drive. A few miles into my drive I came to a complete standstill. Some may say that is so typical in NYC but it is rather rare at 8:45 PM. I became very concerned when I sat there for more than half an hour (total time was 2.5 hours) and I observed groups of police officers walking up and down the path along the highway. There were also dozens of police vehicles that sped away on the opposite side of the highway. After listening to a local news radio station, I found out that a cop had been shot right near our location so I said a prayer for his well-being at that time.

A short time later, I began talking with the gentleman in a nearby car about the NY Mets game that was on the radio as I watched a woman climb over the fence that was next to the highway. I guess that she planned to reach her destination on foot (she left her driver behind). In the meantime I had turned off my car to save my gas and an hour later when I turned the car back on to inch forward it did not start. I refused to let anxiety creep into my body as I called AAA but I realized that they could not get through to my car anyway. The man next to me asked if I had jumper cables and I did not. However I decided to see if anyone behind me did.

As I approached cars some of the inhabitants anxiously looked at me and told me they did not have jumper cables. However, I quickly found an angel three cars behind me who told me that he did. I threw my fists up in the air in the middle of the FDR Drive and screamed out “Thank you!” My new friend next to me took my dying cell phone, charged it for me in his car AND maneuvered his car closer to mine in order to allow the jumper cables to reach his battery. When the corner of his car was adjacent to mine the other man attached the cables to our respective cars and my vehicle started! I gave both men huge hugs and kisses filled with immense gratitude. Who says that New Yorkers don’t care about others? I know that we do, we just don’t hear nearly enough stories about the ones who perform selfless acts for other people.