Death and Relations Can be Painful

They Still Exist!

Just when you think that all of the good people are gone, and that the world is full of haters, takers, and greed, you find that you just might be wrong.

Memorial Day weekend, my friend and I took a trip to New York for business and pleasure.  We went to look after her property that was left to her by her mother, to show it to my granddaughter, and to take in some sights.  I was clear that one part of my mission was to see the newly opened Ground Zero Museum. Well, the trip took on a very different tone the moment my friend was sure that we were so far into it that I could not change my mind and request to return home.

So as we approached the tunnel in Baltimore, she casually says, oh, by the way, we will be staying with my cousin Christian.  You know Christian.  You met him at the funeral.  Pausing for a minute, I say oh, yes, I know Christian, but you should know, I don't like surprises.  How do you know that I want to stay with your cousin Christian?  She said very quickly, I have already spoken to him, and he knows that we are coming.  I give in, and say okay, I am alright with that, but in the future, you should know, I don't only dislike surprises, but I am not sure you will like my reaction to your surprises.  She said, I got it, and it won't happen again.  We moved on.

We arrived in New York early in the afternoon, and went straight to her mother's house.  It is a large house on Undercliff Avenue/Street.  It is tiny from the outside, but very large inside.  They call it a multi-family house, and it is divided up into three different units with a basement.  God only knows who the basement belongs to.  On the ground floor there is a utility room, garage entrance, bathroom (I think) and two other rooms with an exit to the back yard.  There is also an entrance to the ground floor on the front that is separate from the garage.

On the first floor, there is a full one bedroom efficiency (they call it a one bedroom apartment) with kitchen (very small), bedroom, bathroom, large living room, and a walled in tiny porch that would make an excellent storage closet, but was being offered as a small guest room.  Wonderful wooden floors that had been recently treated, but showed the many years of living that had gone on before.

Above the first floor stood the second floor apartment that had the same layout as the first floor with the only difference being that it was occupied.  The occupant was very nice and cordial, and appeared to be the live in handyman. 

For the two upper levels, there is a common entrance and foyer that provides entrance to both the first and second floors.  Again, the hardwood floors were meticulously done, but retain, their history through all of the polish.  I was quite comfortable there, but quickly noticed that unlike the earlier discussion we had, there was no furniture except for two old sofas.  I move on.

After a couple of hours, we leave the Bronx and drive up to Yonkers, New York where the cousin Christian lives.  They are home, and we reunite.  We spend some time getting to know each other and then they go to the store for food.  We pass on the food because earlier in the day we had eaten at the African Kine Restaurant where the ambiance was just as good as the food.  So with a promise for a hot breakfast, we washed a few series of Silicon Valley, and went off to bed.

We lazed around the next day until 4:00pm and then went back to the Bronx.  Picked up my granddaughter and her friend and went back to my friend's mother's home.  While they were making up their minds about the apartment, my grand-daughter's friend's grandmother came over to give her opinion about the apartment.  It was our first meeting, but it was a very pleasant one. Several hours later, my daughter and her friend signed the lease for the apartment.  We agreed to go out and celebrate.

Sammy's at City Island was the recommended and accepted choice.  What a treat.  The food was great, the ambiance was equally as nice, but the Island took the cake.  It was all of that, a cup of tea, and ice cream on the side.  I knew instantly that I could live out the rest of my days right there on City Island.  The meal was finally over and we left City Island for Yonkers and the Bronx.

Finally, on Tuesday morning, it came time to leave New York and return home.  We packed, loaded the car, and said our goodbyes.  The return trip had begun.  We anticipated that we would be home in time for my engagement at 6:00pm.  The traffic was good, and we had lunch earlier with at Applebees, so we were ready for the ride.

Just before reaching exit 8! On the turnpike, I hear this slight tapping or vibrating sound in the car.  Thinking that it was something out of place, I slowly move things around to find the culprit.  Nothing.  I raise the question to my friend.  Do you hear that sound?  Nothing.  I say okay and settle back in, but now, it is getting louder.  Her steering wheel is also vibrating.  The car sounds like it is having a flat tire.  She notices.  Oh crap.  We are doing 65mph on the New Jersey turnpike.  We need to pull over and stop the car.  We pull over.  No flat tire.  I see something leaking.  It is only water from the air conditioner.  Nothing.

Okay, let's continue driving, but drive slowly so that we can stop if we have to, but let's find an exit and get off to have the car checked out.  We drive slowly, but the vibrating gets harder, and the sound louder.  Exit 8A it is.  Lord help us to get to that exit before the car puts us down.  We make it to the Hyundai parking lot off of the turnpike.  Call triple A.  That is another story all by itself.  We sit, and we wait.  Finally, we decide to check out the Hyundai building, and as God would have it, the garage door is open, and there is a man coming toward us.  Now, that's what I'm talking about.

He introduces himself, and asks if he can help us.  We tell him our problem.  He used to be a mechanic, but now he is a trainer of mechanics.  What great fortune.  Jim takes a look at the car.  Asks a lot of questions.  Shakes the steering wheel, and makes a few suggestions.  Unfortunately, he cannot fix it because it is not a garage or dealership, but a training facility for Hyundai cars.  No problem.  Thank you for talking with us.  He is not finished.  Before leaving he says, ladies, would you like to use the bathroom?  One yes, and one no.  We both go.  I get water too.  He also says that everything around was closing because of the industrious nature of the place -- lots of warehouses.  In addition, he recommends a couple of hotels (both very expensive) but very nice and very close since it appeared that we would be spending the night.

Amazing.  He was kind, helpful, and concerned about our well-being.  He was not a hater.  He did not expect anything in return.  He was only concerned about our well-being.  He was a White male, and we were two Black females strained in the middle of nowhere, and no one knew where we were or where to start looking for us should anything happened to us.  He gave me his card, and wished us God's speed and safety.  He would be back there in the morning.  Call if you need further help.

Off to the hotel we go.  It is a Marriott.  The reception and greeting were awesome.  They had a room available, and totally understood our dilemma and happy to be of service.  Even the reduced rate that we were given was OUTRAGEOUS!  We took it, and was glad that we were there.  As my usual, I struck up a conversation with the front desk help, and she said, what kind of car do you have?  I told her.  She said, I know someone that can fix your car now, and they are open.  You must be kidding is what I thought, but sure enough, she asks for my phone and dials a number for someone named Pete.  Pete says, of course, I am open, coming on down.  Oh, you can't drive the car, I can have it towed, but I don't take triple A.  You sure you can't drive it to me?  I'm only about 2.5 miles away from where you are now.

Amazing.  The front desk receptionist was warm, friendly, kind, and knowledgeable.  She went above and beyond the job to help us.  She was Black.  She risked her new job, just started working at Marriott, to offer her services to us.  As she moved us toward help, the manager was just watching her with his mouth open.  He, too, could not believe that she was going out of her way to be of service to us.  He was okay, however, because we booked the room, and had our key in hand.  So for him, she had gotten the money, and there was one less room open.  We left for the mechanic.

We drive to Pete's.  We got turned around a couple of times, and the 2.5 miles became 10 miles, but who cares.  We get Nick on the phone and he talks us to his shop.  There we are greeted by Pete, and he tells us to wait.  Leaves and later come back with a mechanic who takes the car for a spin.  He returns and says, Ladies, I can have you on the road again in about twenty (20) minutes, but you need to buy two new tires.  Your tire has a bubble, and we can't put on one, we have to put on two.  How much?  $100 apiece.  That's cheaper than staying at the hotel, and missing an entire day at home.  Do it.  In less than 30 minutes, the job is done, and we are back on the road to Maryland.

Amazing. It is about 6:00pm, the mechanic shop is still open.  There are mechanics on duty, and working.  An unknown woman, called to say that she was sending two women down to get their car fixed, and to take good care of them.  Nick nor Pete could figure out who the woman was at the Marriott that spoke to them.  They took a car down off the rack to put our car on the rack.  Yes, they all stopped working on the other cars to fix our car.  In the end, Nick, Pete, and Barry played a role in getting us back on the road.  They were friendly, kind, happy, and glad to be of service.  Even one of the customers offered to help get us back to the turnpike before we left.

Amazing is the word I used to describe the wonderful people that stepped into my life on this Memorial Day weekend.  They reminded me that good people do still exist.  They come in all colors, ethnic groups, shapes, and sizes.  They are people just like you and me.  They are not out there killing and mowing people down with blocks, machine guns, machetes or the like.  They are not out there looking to rip you off or even to receive anything in exchange.  They are people with good old fashion values waiting for an opportunity to do the right thing.

Yes, good people do still exist, and I am glad that I met a few of them over this Memorial Day Weekend!