Never underestimate people ( Archived) (35)

Just a thought (for this is how my posts usually begin, as rare as they are)...
I was out on Saturday night, having dinner and drinks with friends. Athens has some pretty treacherous sidewalks and streets (gaping holes in sidewalks, motorcycles everywhere, uneven concrete, etc.). In my neighborhood, I am fortunate to know many of the local merchants, cafe owners, vendors, bar owners and bartenders, etc. Walking past one of my neighborly establishments, I tripped on a rough stretch of sidewalk, fell, hit my head, gushed blood, conked out, and laid there. Out cold, apparently. I am a Xeni, which means foreigner. Yet, I am a neighbor. People recognize me and know me somewhat. What happened next is not from memory, but from retelling. A storekeeper came and checked on me, receiving nothing from me other than a fair amount of blood on his shirt sleeve and, apparently, an oft-repeated curse word. He called an ambulance. They came and took me to the hospital. I apparently continued to curse throughout the journey. Long story short...I was not only taken care of, but the shopkeeper had called the hospital to check on me and to see how I was. I had some stitches and was ultimately (the next morning) sent home. Yesterday (Monday), I bought a beautiful orchid plant and took it to the store keeper...thanked him for his help and told him how much I appreciated all he had done. He kissed my cheeks, said "We are neighbors...we are friends...you are a good woman...say nothing more" and that was that. So, I just want to remind everyone to be good neighbors..you never know when your kindness will pay off, but, believe me.....it will.
I know that most threads have questions..."would you...."..."do you..."..."have you ever"....OK...so...have you ever had an "Ah-hah!" moment when you realized that your interaction with people in your everyday life actually MEANT something??? Oh, never mind...it's weak as far as threads go, but I am grateful for Alexandros for allowing me to bleed all over his shirt while he cared for me and saw me as a neighbor, and not just as a Xeni.

There's good people everywhere...sometimes we just never get to know them except thru crisis.

Sounds like you have a great neighor!

I think you do an excellent service showing the kindness of strangers in a strange land, Athens, but next time could you do that without gashing your head? Makes me queasy thinking of it.

Athens.. Ooo bloody hell girl.. You ought to put a bit more water with it!!

But seriously.. you were lucky.. in more ways than one.
I'm glad you are okay with no lasting damage, (hopefully no scar from stitches etc)

I'm often touched by peoples kindness.. there ARE still plenty of kind, selfless people out there.

Filakia, Dakota.
Only you know what this means....

Ohh, believe me..... I have experienced the kindness of strangers! Complete strangers that I am very unlikely to ever meet again and, therefore, they have nothing to gain and chances are I will never be able to repay them. And yet....... some of the kindness and compassion I have received in times of adversity leaves me dumbfounded!

God bless 'em!!

I have said it before more good people out there than bad.

little kisses? lots of kisses?

bah! I dunno.

Hellooo.. absolutely.. you never forget them do you.