Grab a cup of coffee and snuggle in, I have quite the adventure to tell.
My morning's these days usually starts anywhere between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., depending on when the Fur babies get me up. This morning, it was 7:30 a.m. All the fur babies were in the yard, doing their morning 'bidness' when Paul comes walking in with a half a decanter of fresh brewed coffee that he made over in the building break room. (For those of you who don't know, we sold our 80 acres, bought a 5th wheel camper, and park outside along one side of a big warehouse building that we rent.)
Next thing I hear, he says "there's a woman walking naked through the cemetery" (we are next door to it.)
Now my 1st thought was 'no way! He's just making a joke!"
"Seriously?!" I asked.
"Yeah, she's either naked or in a bra," he answered.
I happened to look out the window in time to see a woman walk past my view. She sure did look naked up top. So I headed to the front door. From the back, he says, "she's about to the gate (of the cemetery.)"
Sure enough, there she was, again. So I hollared to her if she needed help. Of course, I couldn't here her much from the pouring rain, but she headed my way, and I made out "I could use a phone."
"Well, com'mon," I yelled back.
She slowly made her way towards the gate of the front yard. She was soaked, and I could see that she was not naked, just covered with a camisole that's beige colored and she's barefooted. I had her get up into the Sandpiper and handed her my phone, then I went after her a towel to cover up in. She asked if she could set on my steps (Leading up into the bedroom) and I said, "go ahead, it can handle the water."
Next, I offered her something warm to drink... yes, coffee, and she gladly excepted it, with cream and sweetener. Paul got her a fold out table to set her cup and the phone while she waited for someone to call her back. Of course, I smiled and said thank you when she next said, "this is a nice "motor home" (not, but I didn't correct her.) I've not see this nice of one before."
Of course, she needed the bathroom. Again, I told her it can handle the water... she was still dripping and soaking wet.
She then asked, "do you have a lighter, mine got wet? My lighter and my cigarettes are wet." I had a long lighter, the one's used for lighting BBQ grills, and she was headed back out the door.
I said, "here, let me roll out the awning so you don't have to stand in the rain," and I rolled it out. She awed over that too. I smiled again. Then I popped the storage underneath and got her out a dry chair to sit in and a table to rest her items, then handed her out her cup of coffee.
Paul and I sat inside, trying to give her privacy. We reflected that for her to have come from up out of the woods, on the back side of the cemetery, from down in the valley, scantly dressed, no shoes, in the pouring rain, she had to have been running from someone.
Later, while Paul had been talking with her, he noticed a cut on her bare foot, so he got her the First Aide kit so she could patch up her wound. That's when she told him that she had slept in the woods last night, trying to find something to sleep under. She even thought she heard pigs rooting around. I told Paul "hey, ya never know." Apparently, the down pouring of rain this morning woke her up.
I decided that she couldn't sit there in them wet clothes, so I got her a pair of sweat pants and a sweat shirt to change into. I set them beside her on the table while she was on the phone. A few minutes later, I noticed she was off with the wet clothes and on with the dry clothes.
Next, I warmed her up a 'bear claw' roll thingie I had gotten yesterday. I figured she needed something to eat. If she had slept in the woods, there was no telling when was the last time she had eaten.
As I was grabbing up her wet clothes to put in the dryer, I overheard her on the phone, trying to get someone to come get her. She sounded so pitiful, distraught, not knowing what to do.
I walked over to the building and Paul and my grandson Drew, were inside talking, about her. I mentioned going to put her clothes in the dryer, and I looked at Paul and said, "don't you leave me alone." He said he wouldn't.
I kinda got the impression that if someone was coming, it was going to be a bit. I didn't want to force anything on her she didn't want, but I told Paul that I would offer to take her somewhere if she needed. The look on her face was so grateful. I suggested we leave as soon as her clothes were dry. About that, why didn't I put her clothes in the washer and spin the out first?
Anywho, Paul and Drew took the wheelchair and ramp off the back of Scooter2 so that I could drive in the rain. I made Paul donate his house slippers to her and I gave her a pair of thick socks... can't have her walking around barefooted.
Paul next pulled Scooter2 out of the building and parked it by the yard gate. And because Squirt almost always gets to go places with me, Paul loaded her up as well. (Squirt is one spoiled Min Pin. She's also my Emotional Support Animal, so she gets extra extra special treatment.) Paul also wanted me to keep him apprised as to destination, in writing, in case of trouble. No problem with that request.
As soon as she was changed back into her warm, dry, clothes, I put the wet ones in the washer while she called her friend to let them know that I was going to give her a ride. Then, Off we drove, in the pouring rain, headed for Radcliff. I turned the radio on to kill the awkward silence. She didn't speak a word all the way there except to give me directions.
At a stop light, I grabbed a pen and a jw.org contact card, and wrote my name and phone number on it. When I pulled into the driveway of her destination, I handed her the card and said "here is my name and number. Your name is... (I paused)"
She offered "Martel."
So I continued, "If you need anything, you call me. If I can help, I will help. I mean it, if you need anything, call me, if I can help I will." She super thanked me. "Do you need anything? Do you have any money?" She paused and said, "Well, I don't have anything." She sounded so desperate, pitiful. So I grabbed out my wallet and said, "Well, I don't normally carry a lot of cash, let me see what I have," and pulled her out a $20. (I almost always have a $20.) With grateful tears in her eyes, she thanked me, several times. Then she got out, and walked through the front door of the house, and was gone.
I went ahead and sent Paul my location via messenger, just to have something in 'writing.' Then put the car in reverse, backed out her driveway, and headed home. My next action was to call Paul to let him know that she was home and that I was heading home, that way he wouldn't have to wonder what was going on.
OK, here's what I read via a couple people she reached out to via text on my phone... You can be the judge, but I am guessing this text was sent to the person that ended up causing her to flee the citation, half dressed, no shoes, and caused her to sleep in the woods last night. And from the looks of it, some sort of substance was involves. Like I said though, that's just me. On a side note, Drew questioned the wisdom of texting an 'aggressor' using the phone of a 'good samaritan.' (Good point, actually.)
Now, this next text looks like she reached out to a friend that might could help her. Her texts are the one in turquoise color.
It is a sad, troublesome world we live in these days. As one of Jehovah's Witnesses, I recognize the hardships that Satan puts us through.
I really hope that Martel will at one point, go to jw.org website. I didn't really mention the site to her, so she has no idea the comfort that can be found there.
I hope Jehovah moves her heart to do so.
I hope she will.
I hope she will be OK.
Gotta run folks. I do welcome your thoughts on this matter.
Later, gater,
or as my daughter likes to sometimes say, "hasta la pasta."
