Miracle on Friars Roadby Beth Dugan
Two days ago I couldn’t even climb stairs here at home, and it is still difficult today -- but possible. Earlier today it was only my second day after having a cortisone injection at my spine L 4-5 disc.
Last week, having been dropped off at the Mission Valley Y by a ON THE GO Seniors Transportation volunteer driver, I had walked from the Y to a Linda Vista Road mall for Starbucks. Today, feeling well after the cortisone, I became too confident, and headed for Fashion Valley on Friars Road--along road with 4 lanes of busy traffic. At first walking too fast, and then and too far, I became sore. So I found a bench and sat to read my book for awhile when almost to the Arco station, then went forward to find a snack and a drink before I would need to head back for my return ride.
Getting to the Fashion Valley mall had taken so long that I decided to stop at the Nordstrom Café for a self-serve snack rather than go to food mall. At the register I realized I’d left my wallet in my bag at Y—so couldn’t call a cab to return to the Y. Then I drank water and rested and read some more before starting my walk back. Not far up the driveway I realized I couldn't make it.
I then decided to ask for ride at the light where drivers would turn left onto Friar’s Road. When one car waited for the light, I went to knock on that car window. Before I even go there, the woman driver immediately opened her window.
“Get in,” she said.
She said she’d seen me walking the other way when I was still close to the Y some time earlier, and she'd thought then that I was in trouble. She'd noticed me even before I felt I was in trouble!
During our ride back to the Y, she also told me she is best friends with Diane who teaches one of the arthritis classes that I was in before the surgery, and that she herself used to teach at the Y. Her name is Suzie, one of a group of 11 women who hang together.
And it is her having noticed me before so that she knew immediately what I needed that is the miracle.
