Anybody can be great because everybody can serve

I had just landed in Chicago O'Hare International Airport. I was exhausted, frustrated, and mostly just very tired after a long day of switching flights. It was not too long after I landed that I found my flight was postponed, further delaying my trip home. (Great.) So I did what I was supposed to do in the case of a cancelled or postponed flight - I waited in line at the customer service counter. The line was long. A thunderstorm was expected that night so my flight was not the only one postponed. In line ahead of me were two young military men (they were in army attire). While I was going over what I should do that night if I couldn't leave Chicago (sleep in the airport? oh goodness no..), I heard one of the men ahead of me say "Madison." That was when they got my attention. So I listened in some more. Turns out, they both were as frustrated as I was and needed to get to Madison like me! I felt less alone (although I didn't reveal to them that I listened in on their conversation).

Because there were two of them together, one of them ran to the next customer service counter to see if they could get a quicker answer on flights. The line we were waiting in was very long. Five minutes later, the guy returned and told his friend that no flights would be leaving Chicago O'Hare that night (*groan), but that a bus would be leaving shortly (9:30pm) and that they should get a ticket if they wanted to leave. It was then that I butted into their conversation to be sure of what I had just overheard. They confirmed that a bus was leaving for Madison, and it would be leaving at 9:30. The time we had this conversation was a little after 9. The two men quickly ran off to find the bus counter. I, on the other hand, decided that maybe I would just wait until the next morning.

However, a few minutes later, it occurred to me that I needed to get home ASAP because the next day would be very busy and that my family would need my help. In that split second, I relinquished my spot in line (only 6 people away from reaching the customer service rep - finally!), and ran after the guys.

Not more than 20 feet later, I bumped into them running in my direction. I stopped them asking - "Madison, right?" One of them responded "yea." I asked where we needed to go, and they pointed behind me. Then, they took off running. It was now nearing 9:10. I ran after them with my black carry-on, and my purse. They bolted down the stairs, in between the escalators. I hopped on the escalator with my carry-on realizing that I was holding them up. I might have said "wait." Or I probably didn't. I don't remember. The next thing I do remember was them realizing that I was not keeping up. So one of them came back, grabbed my carry-on, and beckoned me to follow. We took off running down the aisle.

I remember thinking how odd that must have looked. There, in the middle of bustling Chicago O'Hare, in the midst of angry customers whose flights were just cancelled: two tall (5'8-6'0), fit army men with a short (5'1), slim but not necessarily fit, young woman sprinting - yes, sprinting - down the aisle as if our lives depended on it.

About 5 minutes later, the one holding my carry-on gave it to the other. I felt bad; not only did they wait for me but they also carried my bag. (How would I ever show my thanks?)

When we exited the airport, we did not know which direction to go for the bus ticket counter. I thought this is my chance to help the two men who had helped me. I can be useful! So I took the initiative to ask around and eventually led us to the bus counter. I felt I had finally done something in turn. We bought our bus tickets, I sincerely thanked them for helping me, and we all boarded the bus together.

While boarding the bus, I thanked them again. And maybe even again? I wanted them to know I appreciated their help so much. I then sat down and began to relax. I was on my way home.

We made a few stops before we reached Madison. One of them was in a little town in northern Illinois. During the stop, I saw the bus driver get out, along with the two men who helped me at the airport. For some reason, I registered that as a rest stop; it was not uncommon for coach buses to make rest stops, right? I really needed to use the restroom so I got out too.

I was in the restroom for no more than 5 minutes, came out, and saw a coach bus outside thinking that it was the one I had just gotten off of. Boy, was I wrong. Not a moment after I had that thought, I saw one of the men running into the station and telling me that we needed to go. I learned that our bus had left without me and had only stopped because the men had noticed that I was not on yet. That was when one of them came back to get me.

I was speechless and touched, because of their genuine concern in looking out for me, and grossly embarrassed at my own carelessness.

I got on the bus, and profusely thanked them.

When we reached Madison, I invited one of them to go with me to a local bar so that I could learn more about him and express my thanks. (The other had plans already but I thanked him again before he left.) After learning that he was a college student, who had recently turned 21, I showed my thanks by buying him a nice glass of cold beer. (I hope he enjoyed it and found it refreshing.) I then said we should keep in touch before I left. Then left, only to realize that I was too nervous, with my mind swimming in embarrassment, to remember to give him my contact information.

To this day, I still think of them both often. If they had not looked out for me, if they had not reached out to help me, then I would have been stuck in that little town in northern Illinois with no money and no phone. I don't know what I would have done if that had happened. Thankfully, it didn't.

Now whenever I travel, I look out for myself, and then I look out for others. I am a more conscientious traveler because of this encounter. I am more aware in case a situation ever arises where I could pass on their act of kindness.

Wherever you two are, I just want to thank you both. From the very depth of my heart, thank you.

So that you can pass it on

Many years ago, when I was part of a girls group, we had a 'girls night out' at a hotel. The next morning when we were ready to leave, we found out that our van would not start. The engine needed to be jump-started.

A stranger noticed that we were having trouble so he came over and asked if we needed help. When we told him what had happened, he drove his car over and proceeded to help us jump-start our van. We thanked him and our group leader asked if there was anything we could do for him in return. He said that he would like us to remember how he helped us and help others in need, in the future.

"We don't have to engage in grand, heroic actions to participate in the process of change. Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world."

- Howard Zinn

Lost and found

The door bell rang while I was in the kitchen so one of my roommates ran to get the door. Minutes later, she called me to the door as well. When I got there, a man with a dog asked me if any of us had lost an ID. I replied that we hadn't but if he would show me the ID, I could try and see if I knew the person.

So the man pulled out the ID, and it turned out to be mine. I was so shocked; I seriously thought my ID was still in my backpack. I told the man that the ID belonged to me and how thankful I was that he had found it! I asked him where he found my ID.

He explained that he found it while walking his dog. He recognized it as a student ID so he picked it up. He said I had dropped my ID on the drive way leading up to my apartment. Since the complex I lived in was primarily leased to students, he had gone door to door asking if anyone had lost an ID.