Kindness of Hearts

Yesterday, I spent the day at Lake Compounce with my extended family. This included my elderly mother for whom we brought  a motorized scooter.

Moments after 7PM, a few sprinkles came down over the park. Like many others, I looked up, saw only small gray clouds and shrugged it off, continuing to enjoy the rides and attractions.

My niece and I helped my mother onto the "Twister" ride, as the rain started to come down heavier. Concerned that her iPhone was getting wet, my niece asked to be released from the ride. Then, concerned that her hairdo was getting wet, my mother asked for the same. So I got off and escorted my mother to the nearest shelter, which was a tree beside the exit gate.

The ride started up as I raced through the steady rain to help my husband cover up the motorized scooter.

Then the skies opened fully and a deluge came down. We helped my mom under a more substantial shelter and then I ran back out for the scooter. With plastic still covering the controls I powered it toward the shelter of a nearby restaurant, getting completely soaked in the process. Halfway to the shelter though, the scooter stops - dead.

The battery still has a charge, but the motor will not function. And with the motor not engaged, the wheels locked. My husband and I had to literally pick up the scooter and carry it the rest of the way.

We tried to dry everything off, going through handfuls of napkins, but nothing seemed to work.

In the middle of this chaos, the power at the amusement park cut out.

Usually Lake Compouce is very responsible, having people off the rides LONG before any severe rains come in. But what seemed sprinkles from a stray grey cloud, bloomed into a downpour within minutes - out of nowhere! People were stranded on the rides; some wound slowly and silently down to the the ground in neutral positions. A crowd of people were stuck on the chain of the roller coaster in the downpour. Many were watching from the top cars of a motionless ferris wheel.

In the midst of all this, my family debated how to get my mother back to the car and how to get the scooter back to our van. My sister was convinced we would be stuck hand-carrying this heavy scooter all the way back to the van. By ourselves.

I, on the other hand, had a lot more faith in the people around me and the people that worked there.

Before my sister wandered off, a park employee named Angie came over and asked if they could help. Here the park was scrambling with clearing rain-soaked riders from disabled rides, and handling the surge of people in the shops and restaurants. Yet... she saw a disabled scooter on its side and came over voluntarily and offered us help as well.

Before we could even ask, they offered and made arrangements for a substitute wheelchair for my mother. They also came up with a creative solution to get the scooter to our van, using an oversized wheelbarrow. Another employee, Dylan, came with us, helping my husband to lift, move and transfer the scooter into the van.

My sister offered money to those who helped, but it was refused, politely but firmly. So my husband and I stopped by the customer service booth. While the manager there dealt with a string of grumbles and shouts about being stuck on rides and similar complaints from dripping, irate customers, we brought a compliment on how helpful their staff was.

We never asked for the help; they offered it out of the kindness of their hearts.

If we think the worst of people, often the worst we see.

When we think the best of people, the best there can be.

~ ESA