The other day, I picked up a woman who had a laundry basket and a couple of bags with her.
When she climbed into the car she apologized almost immediately for rambling. She said she had a lot going on and hoped I didn’t mind if she talked a little during the ride.
She wasn’t loud or dramatic about it. Just tired.
Life had turned upside down for her in ways I won’t pretend to understand. After twenty-five years of marriage her husband had asked for a divorce. The situation had become complicated, painful, and confusing in ways only life can manage.
As she put the basket and bags in the trunk she said something that stuck with me.
“Everything I own is in that basket.”
She told me she was on her way to her older sister’s house. Her sister had offered to let her stay for a couple of weeks while she figured out what came next.
“At least I’ll have a place to sleep and feel safe for a while,” she said.
Most of the ride she just talked.
I mostly listened.
When we pulled up she hesitated for a moment.
She said she hoped her sister was home.
Then she gathered up the basket and the few bags she had and piled them by the front door.
As I pulled away, I glanced in the mirror and saw the door open.
Her sister stepped out and her arms went up for a hug.
Well… see you next time.
— Steve
The Wayward Trucker
Roadside Thought
“A stranger is a friend you haven’t met yet.”
Behind the Wheel
Passenger: “Do you hear a lot of people’s stories driving Lyft?”
Me: “More than most people would believe.”
Have you ever had a stranger tell you something that stuck with you?
Just hit reply and tell me about it.
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