One Good Turn Deserves Another: Good Samaritans help a stranded lady driver travelling with her son

ISMATH FATHIMA

PASYALA : It was a busy Friday after school, I thought of going to my home town to attend to a wedding at Panagamuwa, Kurunegala. My husband was really busy but he gave me permission to enjoy myself with my family members.

So I decided to go by bus with my one and only sweet son, who is in grade 7. But my husband told me that with the son, bags and baggages it was difficult for me to go by bus. So he told me to take his car.

Actually, I had a dilemma whether I could go alone such a long distance from Pasyala to Panagamuwa ( 25 Kilometres away from Kurunegala).  I feared that my son would disturb me while driving. But my husband told me he will not disturb me and for me to go by car.

Actually, this was the first time I drove such a long distance without my husband. I felt that my husband seated next to me gives me a lot of confidence.

Finally, thinking for some time, I decided to go by car with my son.

I started my journey at 3.18 p.m. with my son.  Actually, my son was very smart talking with me asking questions to keep me active on the wheel. I was answering all his questions. If I don’t answer, he used to repeat his questions. So that, any how I was compelled to answer all his questions.

 On our way, when I sang songs, he used to order me ” mama concentrate on driving, don’t sing songs”. I was very careful in driving with a regular speed. 

We passed Alawwa bridge. I was behind a lorry and had to follow the lorry for a certain period of time.

Then I overtook the lorry and drove ahead. I was driving for some time and then I heard a very big noise in my car. A very big blasting noise. I knew that something went wrong. Very quickly, I put the signal to the left and stopped the vehicle properly. I got down and went to see the tyre where the sound came from. It was punctured.

I happened to keep my both hands on my head. I was helpless. I was seeking for help. But at once four people got down from a lorry came running towards us. A little fear arose in my mind. But I believed that nothing would go wrong. They said ” We saw a lady and a small boy without a gent inside the car. That’s why we came to help you.” They asked  ” Have you got a spare wheel? ” Quickly my son told like a big man , he said ” Yes, yes” . Then I opened the dicky and cleared all the things out  to take out the spare wheel. My son opened and took it for them. They too joined him. They took the spare wheel out and was trying to fix it. The spare wheel seemed so small that they asked me is it for this vehicle. To make sure I phoned my husband and put on the loudspeaker. Then they talked with my husband regarding the spare wheel whether the wheel was okay and compatible.Thinking that I should show them to my husband, I took some photos of them while fixing.

After things were done, they asked us where we were going? I said my destination. I too asked about them. They replied me  that they are from Galewela. They have gone for a work to Colombo and returning to Galewela.  They told me ” Don’t drive fast with this wheel.  Drive slowly. First thing is very soon, you have to change the tyre.'” And then go. You can’t go long distance with this spare wheel. Then I accepted all their advice.

And then I  introduced myself. ” I am the principal of Ellalamulla Zahira Muslim Vidyalaya Pasyala. Since I do good to the community, in return God has sent me good people in my way.”  And I  thanked them gratefully and gifted a note of one thousand rupees. I said please keep this for tea. One person told ” පිස්සු ද? ”  They did not accept my money value. I said this is ” මනූස්සකම- humanitarian gesture ” Further, I told please stand  I want to take a photo of you all and put in Facebook appreciating their support.

Here  you can see their photos with my son.

I purposely wrote this in English for my all friends to read specially my Sinhalese friends.

 This is mankind.,I don’t know their names. I haven’t known them before. They didn’t expect anything from me in return.

There was NO Racism.

There was NO hatred.

There was a lot of care and fraternity.

There was the unity of mother Lanka.

We were sisters and brothers.

For me I felt that they were Angels.

They were real humans with a sincere heart and feelings of magnanimity.

The lowest level or the bottom layer of people are such having

Thank you dear brothers for helping me in that needy situation. Wherever you are whatever you are doing I will be praying for you all earnestly. May Allah bless you my dear brothers.

 My son was telling me ” Those people are very good and ready to help anyone”. He told another thing which I could not observe. ” Mama,  there was a person pushing his bike along the road and those people asked whether the petrol was over and they were ready to help us too.” ( The writer is S.A.Ismath Fathima,PrincipalWP/MINU/Ellalamulla Zahira Muslim Vidyalaya Pasyala