Fate and tragedy brought people together!
Last September I was feeling pretty miserable and stressed. My sister’s husband had suddenly abandoned her and their kids, leaving her unable to cope and the kids highly distressed. My own kids were also affected. I was 3 months into an acting job which should have been ideal but my (childless) superviser was micromanaging me and requesting that I work on my days off; and I was missing my old job and friends like crazy.
One Friday I was stressed and late for work when I drove into the public carpark, misjudged the gap between me and the next car, and smashed their tail light. I left a note with my name and mobile number on their windscreen. All day I was expecting a phone call from an annoyed and possibly abusive car owner, but no one called.
Over the weekend my sister’s situation deteriorated and she rang me at 11.30pm Sunday night – obviously at the end of her rope. I emailed my superviser to explain why I wouldn’t be in on Monday and drove to my sister’s house. I was with her all that Monday, drove her to a medical appointment and looked after her distressed kids while she was getting the help she needed. We had just returned to her house when my phone rang- it was the owner of the car I had hit on Friday. He gave me his name and I said “I know you! You work in the same building on the same floor as me!” I was crying, he was crying, and I explained that I wasn’t at work today but I would see him when I was next in.
When I finally caught up with him, he was very emotional, saying he was going through a hard time personally, and that day I left the note on his windscreen he thought it was a parking ticket! He was actually relieved and overcome by emotion that someone had cared enough to leave their contact details for him. It turns out that he is fighting cancer which is why he was so emotional – he had not told anyone at work before our conversation. I was able to put him in touch with one of my friends from my old job who has also fought cancer. And though I have offered repeatedly to pay for the damage to his tail light, so far he has not yet taken up my offer.
I am amazed that these twists of fate and tragedy have brought several people closer together. And a post-script to this story…after my acting period finished, I was able to secure a different job working with the person that I referred this man to for support! I think somehow this job, these people and these relationships were meant to be. – Joanne