My Resolution

Even though they stood several meters before the normal hitchhiking post their fingers were out so I slowed down, stopped at the loading zone, and waited. And waited and waited for them to nonchalantly stroll over to my car. I was hungry and therefore irritable.

“I’m not a taxi service,” I sputtered. “I stopped to help you out but hurry up!” 

They climbed into the back seat without a word. I didn’t get a good look at them but was almost certain they didn’t live in Shilo. After a couple of seconds one of them spoke up.

“Can you let us out at the circle?”

That circle was 3/10 of a kilometer from where I’d picked them up. Their question annoyed me. Why didn’t they just walk? Of course, it was uphill but…There wasn’t a convenient space for me to stop so I refused. Instead I let them off at the next corner, meaning they’d need to walk 1/5 of a kilometer downhill to where they’d wanted to get out.

After returning home and finishing my meal I began analyzing my behavior. With twenty-twenty hindsight I was rather ashamed of myself. Who was I to judge the girls? Perhaps they’d walked so slowly because they weren’t feeling well. Even if they’d been the picture of health I could have been kinder. In all honesty there was a gravel access road that, with just a little bit of extra effort, I could have turned into and let the girls out.  I owed them an apology but that was going to be impossible. I didn’t know their names, where they lived, or their destination.

Once before, in a similar situation, a rabbi suggested that I ask HaShem to put me in the same circumstances again so I could prove my regret by acting differently. Today I found a female soldier going down a hill with her finger out. The weather was lovely and, in my opinion, she could have had a nice walk. Still, I let her into my car with a smile. After all, as a soldier she was probably in a hurry.

Did I prove my regret? Maybe. Not taking any chances I’ve made a resolution in honor of the new year. I’m not going to resolve to take any hitchhiker anywhere she needs to go. Nor will I commit myself to never pass one by. My resolution is more realistic. It’s to be polite to any passenger I have in my car.  Will I be able to keep it? I hope so. Next year at this time I’ll know if I’m successful.

My novel, Growing With My Cousin, a good summer read, is available at Jewish bookstores and on line at  http://www.feldheim.com/growing-with-my-cousin.html or https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Cousin-Ester-Katz-Silvers/dp/194635113X/