Monday Monday Monday

So Monday was very interesting indeed.

I left work a little early (with permission) to go see the orthopedic surgeon. I have been bone-on-bone in both knees for several years and I can no longer take the medicine that has been controlling the swelling and pain in my knees so my rheumatologist sent me to see this doctor. Good news; I do not need to have knee replacement surgery because there is a new injection out there that adds cushion back to your joint. This injection reduces the pain and swelling which means no knee replacement for at least 5 maybe 10 years. I liked that news. The bad news from him was he can not help with the tendon in my foot, I knew he would not be able to but a girl can hope. So I get to go see a different specialist at the end of the month. Fun for me!!

I left the doctor and headed for Target where I found everything I wanted in record time. Well almost everything...I am looking for a pleated skirt and I can not find one. I found one I really liked on-line but I am not wealthy enough to pay $750 for a pleated skirt.

I left Target and head for home during rush-hour and as I approach one of the busiest intersections in town my car died....it would not even make a clicking sound. Of course when it comes time for me to "go" I can not because my car died. Instead of getting out to help me the two young guys in a massive SUV start beeping at me. "REALLY" like that will make my car start. All these people go around me beep at me...one even flipped me off. "Oh Okay Big Guy... I hope your Momma/Wife/Daughter/Sister never ends up in this situation". Out of nowhere comes this African-American man that looks like he is in his 50s or 60s and very skinny and he helps me get my car into the parking lot that I am not very far from. We did have to navigate 3 lanes of traffic to get into the lot. As he is moving my car and older Hispanic man gets out of his truck and blocks traffic to help Issac push.

I did not see where Issac came from because Issac had been on the city bus traveling in the opposite direction when he saw my problem he told the bus driver to stop he needed to get off and help me. I had never laid-eyes-on Issac until that day and I probably never will again. When I asked him why he stopped he said he saw someone in need and he knew he had to help because no one else would. Issac and I got to know each other a little bit while I waited for my husband to show up.

Issac lost his job at almost 50 years old in July and he became homeless at the beginning of September. While I waited for my husband to come and meet me I bought Issac dinner at Jimmy John's. As he and I sat in Jimmy Johns talking we did get strange looks from the customers that walked it. Issac was missing his two front teeth and his clothes were well worn. They did not have any holes and they were clean but slightly large on him. I just smiled at them as they looked at us.

Jimmy John's was another wow. When the manager realized what had happened he would not allow me to pay for the full meal. He charged me for the drinks only. Once Paul arrived I gave Issac some money so he could rent a room for the night instead of sleeping in the shelter or on the street. I know some people will think he will just use it for alcohol or drugs. I personally believed Issac when he said he did not need money for his deed and thus I offered. We have two large shelters in our downtown area and while both are well funded they are still shelters and men always get the last spots in the shelters. With the economy the way it is right now they shelters are bursting at the seams with families. Several of the students at my school are living in those shelters because their families have lost their income and have been evicted.

My battery was dead but still under warranty. The real culprit was my alternator, so it is at the shop being fixed.

Monday September 12th is not a day that I will soon forget.