Lessons in the Gas Lines
following Super Storm
Sandy
Part V
Interestingly, I had the occasion to return this
good deed while waiting in a gas line on another day. An anxious mother seeking to reduce her wait
time and expedite her errands actually left the line in which we waited
initially. She walked across the street
to grab a place in line as an adjacent gas station. That line appeared to move faster. However, unbeknownst to her, each person
ahead of her was purchasing larger quantities of gas than in the line she
left. Before she reached the tanks, the
station had run out of gas. Crestfallen,
she had to return to the end of the line where she began the day. Unfortunately, her time was running out as
she was due to pick up her daughter from daycare. Fortuitously, she was returning to the first
line as I was leaving with two full gas containers and heading to my car. After hearing her dilemma, I refused her
offer of payment for one of the containers.
I gave the gas to her and a ride to her car which was parked a good walking
distance away from both gas stations. As
I put the funnel in the opening to her gas tank and poured the gas, I for the
first time understood just how precious of a commodity that gasoline is in
Western economies and nations. Her car
was parked yards away from two fell trees; an oak tree essentially blocked off
this road as it was impossible for any vehicle to pass around and the other
tree fortunately fell in the right direction and landed on the neighbor’s front
lawn. Mother Nature favorably spared
this woman’s neighbors a few totaled cars and months of agony of haggling with
insurance companies while simultaneously acquiring temporary
transportation. She spared one neighbor
the extreme difficulty of substantial home repairs had the tree fallen in the
opposite direction. Observing these
details in those few moments made me grateful.
On a few occasions as I waited in line, I observed
the best of human nature in difficult times.
A woman upon entering her cards into the tank to purchase gasoline
discovers that it does not work.
Multiple attempts yield the same result.
The next person in line bought her gas and suggested she pay it
forward. Hopefully, she did not use
purposefully an expired card. Still, any
ulterior motives on her behalf did not cancel that man’s willingness and
generosity to assist a woman in need.
Beyond his desire to buy gas as quickly as possible, he conceivably
thought of her children whose lives would be adversely affected were their
mother unable to buy gas. Additionally,
I recall people sharing food and drinks with each other. Hardly anyone went inside to purchase snacks
without offering to buy items for others in line. Just as I hope I imparted encouragement and
hope to that aspiring football player, I gleaned wide-ranging practical advice
and spiritual wisdom as I listened to the myriad conversations of other people.
Hearing their collective desire to endure the gas shortage and meet their
personal and professional obligations in addition to helping someone else as
occasion warrants renewed my hope.
In the gas lines following Super Storm Sandy, I
relived a valuable childhood lesson.
Hard times divulge the absolute worst in people. Anyone with entrepreneurial and capitalist
impulses immediately starts profiting from tragedy. Who is weakest? What is the maximum price of their
desperation? They would do it to me were
the situation reverse. These types of
people will utilize any opportunity to profit and prey upon the most vulnerable
citizens such as seniors and persons with disabilities. However, the converse remains true. Natural disasters also motivate the best
tendencies within people. Communities
spontaneously form during times of crisis.
Enduring solutions to lingering problems ironically emerge as hardships
greatly disrupt people’s daily routines.
Severe discomfort, agony, adversity and personal pain combine to create
pathways to a better quality of life. An
analysis of the causes of the Breezy Point fire will result inevitably in
innovative residential planning and zoning for twenty-first century
living. In addition to the physical
destruction of property and scenery, Super Storm Sandy demolished outmoded
paradigms of urban residential and commercial planning. Federal government agencies and authorities
will examine their disastrous results of their attempt to distribute free
gasoline to the neediest citizens. Next
time, they will be able to avoid the dastardly schemes and ill-gotten propensities
of citizens with entrenched character defects who only seek to profit from
other people’s defenselessness. More
personally, natural devastation affords individuals small yet significant
opportunities to rebuild by touching the lives of people whom they
encounter. A kind deed that seeks
nothing in return and done anonymously potentially renews each recipient’s
faith in God and humankind.
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