Walking Home

I remember one afternoon walking home from high school. I think I had after school detention and then skipped football practice so I was left to my own devices. On my way home, my seventh grade reading teacher was driving by. (Mrs. R. for those in the know. She was also the lady who asked one of the students to leave the class room so she could tell the rest of the students to stop picking on this particular kid).

She recognizes me and asks if I need a ride home. I say no thanks, but she prods a little and I agree. I start directing her where I live, right on Ivory, right on Triadelphia, etc. The whole time she keeps asking me, are we close? are we there yet? I tell her that she can drop me off wherever she wants to. I'm fine walking.

But we finally arrive at my driveway and she drops me off and zooms away to wherever it was she had to go. It made me realize two things. One, if you're going to offer your help to someone, offer it kindly and don't complain about it. And two, most people don't walk anywhere for any length of time.