Coincidence in a Small World

[CATUF]

so, i'm driving home from work . . . it's getting late (after 7:00), it's almost dark and i'm tired and i need to get home and eat before my never-miss-meeting (the Tuesday Night Mens Group).  I'm on a four-lane, driving west in the lane closest to the Kanawha River and see too young kids walking along the shoulder.

i look at them as i go by and think "they shouldn't be out here . . ."  but it's a four-lane and i've already zipped by.  but it's bugging me, so i pull over, maybe half a mile down the road.  i think about it a minute.  what should i do?  nothing? call 911?  go back and see if they need a ride?  i go back.  i pull two U's and come up behind the kids, with my flasher on (it's a four lane), roll down my window and say "are you kids ok?"  a bright voice says "yes, sir.  we're just going over the bridge" -- a busy bridge over a mile up the road.  "would you kids like me to give you a ride?"  two happy "yes, sir"s and they're in the jeep -- a 13 year old girl and her 10 year old brother.  they said they "missed the bus" in kanawha city, so they had already walked 4 miles.  

we get over the bridge and they tell me where to turn -- 3rd avenue.  we go down and down and down 3rd avenue.  finally, we're in the last block before a t-intersection . . . not a good section of town and i'm thinking "this looks familiar."  the little boy says "there's grandma's house - right by that gray car."  we pull up before a very modest but very neat white house and i'm thinking "no way."

i ask the kids "do you have a cousin, or something, named jamal."  they say in unison, "he's our uncle."  i ask about him and they say he's in jail, but he's getting out next month.

i knew the block and the clean white house because right at 6 and 1/2 years ago i dropped my main crack dealer, jamal, off at his mother's house one evening.  

what a difference in perspective and purpose my stop at that house had this evening.  it felt very good to be at the same place these now many years later, but for a good and helpful reason, and eing fully clean and sober.

coincidence that i found those kids?  i think not.

CATUF

[littlebit667]

Wow!  What a story.  No, you were led by whatever G_D you pray to.  I am not a believer, but sometimes I do wonder.  That is one that you will carry with you the rest of your life.

[vicki595]

I believe and I always expect a miracle. That's a very cool story and I agree with you: It was meant to be.

[dominosarah]

Paying it forward~~

[eyeofhorus2010]

That's a pretty cool story. And it says so much too.

Clean and sober, you're living!
Addicted and using, you're just existing.

I spent 9 years just existing while everyone around me spent those same 9 years living. Existing me wouldn't have given those kids a second thought as I passed by, Living me would have probably done something very similar to what you did which is to care about something besides myself.

[atthebeach]

it gave you an insight to what could have happened if you continued on the road you were on or something by far worse.
you have chosen the better path.
2339 days clean
prison
very good choice.