Proud To Be From Iowa

A Safe Place

This story was related to me by a friend and I thought it deserved wider distribution than just my 2 ears. 

 

Last weekend was Sturgis Falls weekend in Cedar Falls, Iowa (a local celebration with parades, food vendors, music, and a lot to do for the weekend).  My friend and her husband live several blocks from the main activity.  As they were coming home on Sunday afternoon from an outing her husband took the dog for a walk and she saw a "little old lady" sitting on the corner in a lawn chair.  She thought that odd.... as there was no parade due, so she went over to visit.

 

The lady explained that her and her friend had been to some of the festivities and were looking for her car and they couldn't find it, so her friend had her sit on the corner as "she" went to find the car.  She left with the admonition, "Do not leave this place."

 

"How long have you been sitting her?" my friend asked - "A couple of hours" she replied.

 

"Oh my, how are you, can I help - would you like some water?"

 

"Yes, that would be nice, and may I use your restroom?"

 

After being refreshed the little old lady (who was 82) came right back out to the corner to wait for her friend to find her.  After a bit she saw her son coming up the sidewalk and she was so grateful, but now she was concerned about her friend who had not returned so she sent her son to find her...again leaving the lady to wait.  In the middle of this a policeman wandered by and inquired as to what was happening.  And after hearing the story decided to wait until everyone was found. 

 

It seems that the ladies were several blocks past where they thought they parked their car.  Her friend went to find the car and couldn't so she went back to the corner, where she "thought" she left her friend - she was gone.  She panicked and called the little old ladies son who came to help search for his mother.  After several misses all were soon reunited and off they went.

 

I ask - where, but in a small town in Iowa can you leave an 82 year old lady sitting on a corner in a lawn chair, and not have her attacked, robbed or molested?  On the contrary - she was taken in by a stranger, made comfortable, and had someone to wait with her.  Makes me proud to be from Iowa.