Differences in Humanity

As our area has endured a tremendous snow storm and a rare blizzard warning, I have been reminded of the vast contrasts in individual humanity.

On Tuesday, February 1, at the height of the storm, a hard working mother of three encountered the worst of humanity.  This mother of three lives in Verona, Missouri, which is 50 miles from Neosho.  She needed work to care for her children, so she took a job at the Green Forest Restaurant, on Neosho Boulevard.  She has a great personality and her customers love her!

As this hard working Mom drove home from her job, she became stuck in the snow.  Her car could not move.  As she sat stranded, a man pulled up in a large black one ton dually Dodge Ram pickup with dark tinted windows and the word “Playboy” in pink letters on the back glass and offered to pull her free.  She was elated!  The man asked her to pay him $50, to which she agreed.  She gave the man the money and he ran to his truck and drove away!!!!  He stole her money!!!

As she watched him drive away, she wondered what to do.  She called for help and the wonderful men of the Neosho Fire Department came to her rescue!  They freed her car and brought her to the Fire Station to warm up and make a theft report with the Sheriff’s Department.  We MUST find this man!  If you recognize the description of this truck, call the Newton County Sheriff’s Office at 417-451-8000 and leave the owner’s name or license plate number. 

In sharp contrast, as I patrolled the rather desolate roads of Newton County, on Tuesday; I came across a man helping a woman with her snow bound car.  They were on US 71, just north of V Highway.  I stopped to check on their safety and the woman said, “I am fine, my Guardian Angel found me!”

The Lady went on to tell me she slid off the road around 8 a.m. and this man was driving behind her.  As he stopped to check on her, she learned he was driving to work in Webb City.  She told the man she was fine and was going to call a wrecker.  He would not hear of such a thing.  She said he called his place of work and said he would be late.  He then drove her to Flying J and bought a tow rope and some hot breakfast.

After they ate, he drove back to her car in whiteout conditions and was now pulling her car free.  He refused any money from her.  As I stood there talking to the Lady, this good Samaritan said goodbye and drove on to work.  The Lady had tears in her eyes as she said she had recently moved here and knew no one.  She could not afford a wrecker.  This man made her day!

William Allen White, an American Journalist, once said; “If each man or woman could understand that every other human life is as full of sorrows, or joys, or base temptations, of heartaches and of remorse as his own . . . how much kinder, how much gentler he would be.”