The kindness of strangers

I'm tired, but this makes me happy and very, very grateful.

I went to spend the day with my friend Sarah, who also has a newborn. We just sat at her house all day, her with her new baby girl Jolee, and me with Alexander. I arrived early in the morning and left in the evening. When I got to my car, I couldn't find my keys. I looked inside the car. No keys. I thought, "This is silly! I drove here, I had the keys!" I hadn't so much as touched my purse at Sarah's, so I was certain they hadn't fallen out there, and if they had I'd have noticed because they'd have been the only thing on the floor.

I set Alexander down and continued searching my car, wondering if they had slid under the seat somehow, or maybe some passerby had found them and tossed them in somewhere. I even searched my trunk. Then I started to panic, realizing that if I'd dropped them on the way in, someone else must have them. And I realized that it was completely possible that someone out there had my keys and could just drive away with my car. The glove box has the registration, with our address on it. And I was surprised that the car wasn't actually already gone, if someone else had taken the keys.

I called Bryan and told him I didn't have the keys and couldn't find them. His car is dead, so there was no way for him to get to me or for me to get home. The only other option was to wait for Sarah's husband Randy to get home and take me home and then back again with another set of keys. Provided the car was still there. I was about to walk back into Sarah's, and as I stood looking at the car in frustration and worry, I saw a tiny slip of paper tucked under my wipers. *GASP*

I snatched it out. It was just a scrap torn from what was probably an envelope, and some numbers that had been written on it were scribbled over. In nice, feminine handwriting it simply said, "I have your keys." Then there was an address. I looked around, found the address, and walked over there. As I approached the door I hear keys jangling inside, and the door opened before I knocked. A lady looked out and said, "Are you coming for the keys?" "Yes, I am," I replied. "Can you describe them to me?" she asked. I did, and she smiled and handed them to me.

I was so appreciative that not only had she done such a kind and honorable thing, but she had ensured that only the person whose keys they were would have gotten them. I thanked her profusely. If I hadn't had Alexander in my arms, I probably could have hugged her I was so grateful. She said that she had thought there was a baby involved, because she'd seen the carseat when she picked up the keys, which apparently had fallen out of my purse or I had dropped. She said she understood how it was with kids, we don't always notice things. I thanked her again, and overwhelmed with gratitude and relief, I went home.

I am very thankful for the kindness of strangers.