By Vern Holmquist
While today our thoughts are on the great festival Oktoberfest, I do not want to forget the good things that happened to me a couple of weekends ago. I had attended a family reunion and picnic in Silverton’s beautiful Coolidge & McClaine Park.
It was not for my family but a family that always seems to have a chair for me when they have something to celebrate. A beautiful family, great food and the perfect setting for a picnic. But my story starts as I had said my farewells and jumped on my scooter that started shaking in the rear part – sort of like it was dancing the Chicken Dance.
The shaking let me know I had a flat tire. Now having a flat tire on a two-wheeler is a bit different than having the same problem with something with four wheels. It seems that half of the vehicle has to be removed before I could have access to the flat tire.
Not wanting to bother the family’s celebration, I started to push my scooter down the street – not having the foggiest idea where I was headed.
A lady seeing an 89-year-old overweight duffer pushing his heavy scooter down the street, drove by me and then turned around. She politely informed me my pointless effort of pushing the scooter down the street was not worth a heart attack so she helped me push the scooter onto her property where she said I could leave it until I found help. She was my first Good Samaritan of the day.
I walked back to the picnic, no easy chore for me. There was a rush of eager helpers and one “relative” found one of those canned flat fixers. My second Good Samaritan of the day.
The canned fix just managed to get me to Les Schwab’s tire shop only to find Les Schwab does not work on motorcycles or scooters. After my look of “please help,” a Les Schwab employee found a box of plugs which plugged the leak in my tire allowing me to putter on home to Mount Angel. He was my third Good Samaritan of the day.
So folks, they are still out there, those Good Samaritans and when you really need them, they are there to assist you. I did not mention my three Good Samaritans’ names but they know who they are. I send to each of them my heart felt thank you for coming to my rescue.
As we celebrate our bountiful harvest, there is so much to enjoy and be thankful for, especially all those Good Samaritans who unselfishly assist those in need.
