Sandy Beharee, Blouberg
I was on my way to Canal Walk from Blouberg on Sunday morning March 27. As luck would have it, my car came to a standstill on the Bosmansdam Road two blocks away from Sable Square.
I was frantic, thinking the engine had died, or the battery had packed up. Little did I know that I had run out of petrol, the fuel light was on and I thought I would top up at the next garage.
My 8-year-old daughter was with me, and I started to break down into tears. I called hubby immediately and he said it could be the fuel. Since we share the one car, he was not able to come to me. Just then, I stepped out of the car and started waving down motorists for help. Three cars passed me and the drivers stared but didn’t stop.
Finally a white sporty-looking car slowed down, hazards on, and pulled over to the curb. A young gentleman got out and I told him what had happened. He got into my car and tried turning it on. I asked where he was from, and he said he lived close by and was coming back from church. When he saw all the lights on the dash come on he immediately knew that it was dead from no petrol.
I had a 5-litre bottle in my boot, and I was just going to ask for a ride to the nearest petrol station, when he said to me to wait there and he would get me the petrol. I was overcome with relief. He was back in about 10 minutes. He had a small empty water bottle, which we cut with my cuticle cutter to make a funnel. He poured the petrol in and, hey presto, my car started.
I was so grateful to him I asked for his cell number so I could repay him. I just want to say a very big thank you to Joe. He runs a small business in Milnerton. If had not stopped that morning, I don’t know how my Sunday would have ended. When I sent a WhatsApp message to him a little later for his banking details, all he said was not to worry about the R100. All I needed to do was pay it forward to someone else in need.
I was overcome with emotion and said I certainly would. What a decent human being. I was taken back by his kindness. I wish him well on this journey we call life and said I hoped his creator blessed him in abundance.