Hit and Run!

Like many parents I look back happily on my children's growing up years. Yes there were a few challenges along the way but when I see my two daughters as young women with families of their own I am proud. I'm sure, like me there are many of you out there who feel the same way.

A true story follows about my daughter, Raquel who lives in the hectic hub of Johannesburg.This story revealed to me that she is a fair minded and civic aware person and very courageous. She had several years in our South African Police force and left because she married and her job situation was dangerous. Her training and dedication to her work there equipped her for the decisive moves she made.

Recently Raquel was driving on the BUSY roads of Sandton.
She was aware of a young woman driving a top of the range, beautiful BMW in the lane adjacent to hers. It was correctly positioned turning right.
As sudden as a flash of lightning, the BMW was struck violently by a saloon car who failed to stop at a red traffic light. With a screech of ripping metal and a BANG that shattered eardrums, the bonnet of the BMW was crumpled and torn and the wheel was forced out at a grotesque angle.

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At a glance Raquel saw that the girl driving seemed to be alright and she was able to turn her sports car quickly and speed off, engine growling with deep throated pleasure, after the hit and run driver. Her intention was deadly serious and her advanced driving course stood her in good stead,
She swerved around slow vehicles in pursuit of her quarry.
When she saw the culprit with several passengers ahead, she put foot to the floor and swerved in front of that weapon of destruction.
Her adrenalin was at an all time high and she thought nothing of leaping out of her car, putting her long arm into the startled driver's space. She grabbed his car keys and tossed them into a nearby hedge. She is a tall, fit person and without blinking manhandled the man into her car, shouted to the passengers to wait for the police, she had their registration number, and took him back to the scene of the crime.

Thankfully the miraculously unharmed Rhajasveri Naidoo had had the presence of mind to phone her father and the police and the latter were attending to the details of the accident. They were amazed as Raquel bundled the hit and run driver out of the passenger seat of her car and the police dealt efficiently with the guilty man.

Rhajasveri begged my daughter to remain with her until her father arrived at the scene of the accident. "He is less likely to kill me if you are able to explain that it was not my fault. He loaned me his new car only with a lot of persuasion from me and now look at it," and she burst into tears.
Raquel was able to phone and defer her business meeting by an hour and a half and indeed met a worried and enraged Mr Naidoo. Fortunately he was a reasonable man and a caring father and there was no bloodshed and no hint of violence until he turned and saw the culprit of the destruction of his new car. Fortunately the police had put him into their vehicle where he was at least safe from the extreme ire of Mr Naidoo.

Suddenly Rhajasveri clapped her hand to her forehead, "oh my word, I almost forgot about Patel." she gasped. "I borrowed my dad's car to fetch him, he's my boyfriend, from the Gautrain station in Sandton. He has to present himself," she glanced at her watch, "at an office block where he is due to write his final helicopter pilot's exam! In 22 minutes!" she looked beseechingly from her dad to Raquel.
Raquel recognised the symptoms of shock on Mr Naidoo's face and faced he daughter. " Tell me what he looks like and where I will find him and I'll get him there." Her morning was in tatters already so why not make it a complete disaster, she thought.

So once again her car growled with pleasure and leapt to answer this second emergency call

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Within minutes she saw a pacing young man at exit 3 and he was simply stunned when this low slung silver Porsche drew up, the door was flung open and a strange woman greeted him by name and said, "if you want to get to your exam in time, hop in and if there aren't too many red lights against us, I'll get you there. Rhajasveri is delayed but will phone you in a few minutes."
She drove a dazed but very grateful young man who was soon enjoying the power of the car and the driving skills of this 'angel from heaven'.
He fled from the vehicle before it had stopped moving completely and hand waving, disappeared into the building.

Raquel sighed with relief, "two minutes to spare!" She patted the steering wheel of her car in congratulation!

Later that day she got a text from Patel telling her that through her amazing rescue he had been in time to begin his computer exam as the clock struck the hour and through the modern miracle of computer exams, his result had come through immediately and he had passed.

He was ecstatic.

In a moving tribute to Raquel, testament to what a decent, well brought up person he was, Patel brought tears to her eyes (and mine when I read the text later) as he spoke of the difference her unthinking kindness and sacrifice of her own important plans had made in the lives of hImself, his girlfriend and her father. "Prior to this event I thought we lived in a country where getting ahead, meant standing on others' fingers as they cling desperately onto the ladder of advancement, and self sacrifice is an altogether unknown quality. She had restored their faith in the decency of mankind and gave them hope for their future.
They wished her well and blessed her family.

This story that might appear to be 'stranger than fiction' but is nevertheless true. I gasped as each new facet was revealed when it was told to me and I even smiled as I thought ' what a soppy, happy forever after story' this is.
But my heart was truly warmed that day,

As I see it, it's all about sowing and reaping. The bible talks openly about it but life generally works this way.
The question I ask is;

Has Raquel sown good seed that day for future blessings? Or was it Rhajasveri and Patel who were reaping the rewards of their own goodness and sacrifice on a previous occasion? Interesting......

No matter....... I am a proud mama who enjoyed the unfolding of this unlikely tale of good triumphing over evil...........

I urge all parents to celebrate and broadcast our children's goodness to one and all and let us feel that this world is indeed occupied by an admirable and worthwhile younger generation. And to those of you who ARE the younger generation, tell your own stories that show up the goodness and generosity of our fellow human beings.
Let us be encourage one another.