That coulda been bad!

It was about 2:30 in the afternoon and pouring down rain when I passed her.
I passed without any dream or inspiration to be one of those good citizens who is always performing random acts of kindness and such.
But as I passed I knew I wouldn't be able to go the rest of the day without feeling guilty knowing I ignored the little old lady slowly shuffling on the side of the road.
I couldn't ignore the way she didn't even looking up at the on coming traffic.
I couldn't ignore the clothes she was wearing, or the way she was hunched over and hardly limping along.

But I thought I was going to.
I thought I was going to ignore her and everything about her. 
I passed quickly and didn't even look in the rear view mirror. But with each second that passed I knew I had to turn around.
I don't know what made me do it. I pass people on the side of the road all the time. Without even giving a second thought.
Because I mean... it's dangerous, right? It's dangerous for teenage girls who are alone without any kind of protection to pick up strangers from the side of the road, right?
But this time was different. This time I couldn't help myself. Having driven about a half mile down the road I quickly cut across traffic and did an illegal U-turn. It took me a few turn arounds to finally get to a point where I could slow down without a car behind me and pull over close enough to the women who was on the opposite side of the road, and yell "Hey, do you need a ride?"
She immediately raised her hand pointing towards her ear.
Oh, she can't hear me, I thought, that's respectable I mean here I am yelling across traffic and through a down pour.
Next, she pointed at my car and back at herself. As if asking if she should come.
I nodded my head and she quickly slipped across the two lanes of traffic and into my car.
Then I asked again "Can I give you a ride somewhere?"
She held out her palm and used her other hand to act as if she were writing something down and then motioned for a pen.
At this point I could tell she was mute.
I rummaged through my glove box to find a pen, an old receipt and an Altoid tin to write on and handed them to her.
She scribbled "Drop me off to the Walmart?"
I simply nodded and began driving.
Even though I almost hit a mailbox while pulling out she just touched my arm and laughed!
It was a connection, and it was reassurance. No words were needed.
We drove to Walmart in silence.
But I didn't mind.
I prefer the quiet anyhow.
Within a few short minutes, I pulled up to the entrance and let her out.
She motioned thank you in sign language and I smiled giving her a thumbs up back.

And that was it.
She was gone.
Just like that.
I probably won't ever see her again.
But at least I could make her afternoon a little more bearable.

I learned two thingqs. 
I learned that sometimes gifts are briefly disguised as a disturbance.
And that spontaneously trusting your gut is good for the soul.