I was half dazed waiting for the light to turn green. The bright Friday afternoon sun was setting into the hues of evening. Light relaxing jazz poured into the car from the radio and out the top of my opened Sebring convertible. I was ready to get home, crack open a beer and begin the weekend in quiet solitude.
"Get out! Get out, bitch!" I was jolted awake by the sudden yelling from the car in front of me.
"No, you jerk!" screamed a feminine reply. "You son of a bitch! How could you?"
The battle language, gestures and volume intensified quickly inside the car. It was chaos. A war was being waged. It was detained by the red light with cars surrounding them on every side. "Get the f out of my car," the driver finally yelled as a small purse was thrown from his window into the street behind the car.
The passenger door opened followed by two long legs in 3 inch black high heel shoes. She quickly stepped out of the car in the middle of traffic. "Go to hell!" the stunning 25 year-old woman screamed as she exited the vehicle. "I can't take it any more. I am done with you!" She slammed the car door. Expletives continued to be hurled toward her from inside the car. She was a tall 5'8" wearing an elegant short black cocktail dress that showed off her legs. She had a gorgeous face, long brunette hair that bounced off her shoulders, bright hazel eyes, thick red painted lips and olive skin. The front of her dress plunged showcasing her ample tan cleavage. She leaned down to quickly take off her shoes and hurried between our two vehicles to retrieve her purse from the street. She stood up in front of my left headlight looking lost, broken and confused. This complete stranger stood stranded and barefoot in the middle of the street holding her shoes and purse.
"Do you need some help?" I asked.
She looked around her in every direction, thinking through options as the opposite traffic light changed from green to yellow.
"Can I give you a ride someplace?" I offered warmly.
Her mind raced through options. She was stranded in the middle of a major intersection, too far to walk home. Her boyfriend continued his tirade, embarrassing her in front of a street full of strangers. She was livid. All dressed up, she had nowhere to go, and no way to get there if she did. A stranger was offering assistance. She wondered if it would be smart or safe to take me up on it and get in my car. The opposite traffic light moved from yellow to red, triggering a green in our direction. I could see her dilemma. "If you prefer," I added with kindness, "you can get in the back seat. I will be glad to drop you off wherever you would like. It's no problem."
She responded instinctively. She had no better options. Her boyfriend was still watching and screaming insults. "Thanks," she said as she hurried around to the passenger side, opened the door and jumped in the front next to me. The car ahead of us screeched as it sped forward, his middle finger waving angrily out the car window.
"Gawd, I just, I can't ..." Words sputtered as she tried to explain what just happened. She was out of breath and flustered.
I put my hand up. "Easy," I said. "No explanation necessary." She looked over to me, feeling safer. "Catch your breath," I added. The light music filled the new awkward silence in the car.
She took a couple deep breaths and sighed, before beginning to cry. "I am so sorry," she said. "I am so embarrassed. I am so angry." She wiped her eyes with a tissue from her purse. She allowed a couple minutes to pass with tears and silence to collect herself. I turned onto another major street, no longer allowing us to remain in the rearview of her boyfriend's car.
"The bastard cheated on me. I can't believe he would do it again," she said breaking the silence and trying to offer an explanation. "I can't believe it!"
"I can't either." I glanced over and caught a glimpse of her short dress bunched up to the top of her legs from when she jumped in. "It sounds like a pretty crummy day."
"We were going to go out to a nice dinner. We have been putting things back together from the last time he cheated on me. I wanted to treat him to a nice weekend as a way of saying I trust him and this could work. His cell phone rang while we were in the car and I picked it up. It was some bimbo yelling because she was pregnant, and screaming for him to do something. He took the phone and after arguing with her, hung up. He confessed he had been sleeping with her. He said liked her on the side because she would do things ..." Her voice tapered. "I blew up; I just freaked. I should have known. I just wanted to believe ..." Her voice became more defeated and stressed.
"Really, " I said, "you don't need to explain."
"I'm sorry," she said again. I am just so upset and confused."
"It sounds like you could use a friend," I said warmly. "My name is Carl." I put my hand out.
"Jennifer," she answered back. "I'm sorry."
"You have nothing to be sorry about, Jennifer. You haven't done anything wrong. No more 'I'm sorrys,' OK?"
She paused, grateful for the kindness. "OK. Thanks for helping me out."
"No problem. Where would you like me to drop you off? Home?"
"I don't know," she said still feeling defeated. "I can't believe what just happened." She sat silently for a couple minutes looking at her lap.
"Can I make a suggestion?" I asked.
"Sure," she said with uncertainty still in her voice.
"I can drop you off anywhere you would like. I have nothing going on. It's no problem. Or," I began to add.
"Or?" she asked curiously.
"I think you need a friend right now. I would hate to just drop you off, unless you really want to be alone. If you'll let me, I would be glad to grab that dinner with you that you got all dressed up for. No expectations. It just seems like you could use someone to talk to. "
"That is very nice, Carl" she said. "No expectations?"
"None," I said. "The only condition is that you call the shots, but I am buying. You shouldn't have to pay on a day like this."
