This week was a quick turnaround from our road trip to Charleston, with a much shorter drive to the Harrisburg Airport, to catch our non-stop flight to Atlanta for the Pinetree Invitational.
I was certainly thankful for our decision to fly; however I still have reservations about being around so many people in an airport. For any of my past players that happen to be reading this, you know the "script" when we fly. We land, the team moves quickly to baggage claim as the coaches head off to get the rental van. Renting fifteen passenger vans around the country in various airports is always an adventure, since they are not a "typical" rental car, they generally have to pull them up from wherever that special place is that they keep these larger vans.
When we fly into larger cities it generally means taking the trams to some off-site location, which never is welcomed when we fly in the later hours of the night. As we land in the Atlanta airport, Andy and I head to the tram to take us to the rental counter. We arrive finally only to be sent to the "open lot" since we are Emerald status, to find our Transit. Ahh, there it is, right in the lot, too good to be true! I checked the back to be sure we had enough seats, I only counted to five, not going to cut it when we have a party of eight.
So, off we went looking for someone on site that could help. When we finally tracked someone down, he pointed to the van we already checked out. He did not believe it only had five seats! So, after some convincing he had to call to bring up another van. Meanwhile back at the airport, the team is hauling all the bags off the belt and carrying them out to the curb to be ready when we finally arrived with the van.
As we maneuver our way through crowds of people, we spot the team and pull up to load. Like "clockwork" we fit all the golf bags and suitcases in the van as if it were a jigsaw puzzle, we were well familiar with. Such a great feeling when we pull away from the airport after a long day of travel and head toward our hotel.
The drive through the city of Atlanta was a bit longer than some since we had to get to Kennesaw where our tournament was taking place. About five minutes from our destination I notice my cell phone lighting up with a phone number, no name, just showing it is a Georgia number. I thought well, we are in Georgia now, I better pick this up it might be important. The voice on the other end spoke in what we might say is "broken" English, just harder to make out.
"Are you the coach? I just saw your team here at the curbside pickup, while I was waiting for my ride, and I believe you left one of your bags here. It is a black roller and has your business card on it which is how I got your cell number."
It was my bag that was left on the curb somehow in the rush to pile in the van and go. He went on to explain how he went back into the airport and tried to leave it with a Delta agent, but they would not take it. What would you like me to do? I asked him his name, which I instantly forgot since it was hard to make out what he was saying, and where he was headed. He indicated he was going to his home in a city about thirty minutes from where we were staying. Since it was difficult for me to understand everything, I asked if he could text me his address and I would come and get the bag from him as soon as I dropped the team off at the hotel.
I hang up, thankful that I answered my phone in the first place and wondering how we could have missed this. He sends me his home address and then asks me to send him the address of the hotel we were staying. Here is a summary of the exchange of text messages we shared.
Good Samaritan: Denise, send me your hotel address, I am still waiting for my friend to pick me up and maybe I could drop it where you are.
Denise: Only if it is not out of your way, I am happy to come to where you are.
Good Samaritan: I know what it is like to lose or forget a personal item, don't worry, I will take good care of your suitcase.
Denise: You are a good soul, if it is easier for me to come to you, please let me know.
Good Samaritan: My friend is just picking me up it will take us 30 minutes to get there, I will let you know when we are close.
Denise: Are you sure? Thank you so very much.
Good Samaritan: You are very welcome.
Good Samaritan: We are arriving, we are outside.
Denise: I am at the front door of the hotel.
The car pulls up and out he pops out, goes to his trunk and takes out my suitcase, I tried to pay him for his time and inconvenience, and he refused to accept anything.
My text after he departs, "I can't thank you enough, I really appreciate your kindness."
"It is a pleasure to be able to help, Have a good night."
In a time and a world where we hear of so much inhumanity happening around us, I thought this was worth sharing. I went to sleep that night, my faith restored in the bumper sticker I sometimes read, "Practice acts of random kindness!" I was the lucky receiver, and now will look closer for the opportunities to "pass it on!"
