It was a typical Monday morning for John. He woke up early, got dressed, and headed out the door to start his day. As he was getting into his car, he felt something crumpled in his pocket. He reached in and pulled out a piece of paper with the words “Call me now!” written on it in bold, black letters. The paper was worn and creased, as if it had been carried around for a while.
John was confused. He didn’t remember putting the paper in his pocket, and he didn’t recognize the number written below the message. The last digit of the number had been wiped out, making it impossible to tell who it belonged to.
John tried to remember where he could have gotten the paper from, but his mind was a blank. He decided to call the number anyway, hoping that someone would answer and provide some answers.
The phone rang several times before a woman answered. “Hello?” she said, her voice sounding tired and stressed.
“Hi, is this Sarah?” John asked, trying to remember if he knew anyone by that name.
“Yes, it is. Who is this?”
“My name is John. I found a piece of paper in my pocket with your number on it and the message ‘Call me now!’ Do you know how this ended up in my possession?”
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line. John could hear Sarah breathing heavily.
“John, I am so sorry. I know this must seem strange, but I really need your help. My car broke down on the side of the road and I had to leave it there. I was in such a hurry that I didn’t realize I had left my phone and my purse in the car. I was trying to flag down a ride and I saw you driving by. I ran after you and gave you my number, begged you to call me as soon as possible, I didn’t have any other option. But I didn’t expect you to call me after so long.”
John couldn’t believe it, he had seen a woman running down the street that day but he didn’t paid attention, he was in a hurry and didn’t want to get involved.
“Oh my goodness, Sarah, I’m so sorry. I had no idea. I’ll come and get you right away.”
John quickly got into his car and drove to the location Sarah had given him. He found her sitting on the side of the road, looking frazzled and exhausted. He pulled over and got out of the car to help her.
“Thank you so much for coming, John,” Sarah said, her voice shaking with relief.
“Of course,” John replied. “I’m just glad I could help.”
He drove her back to her home and stayed with her until her car was towed and fixed. They exchanged numbers, and Sarah promised to return the favor if John ever needed help.
From that day on, John couldn’t stop thinking about how one small piece of paper changed his day and how he met a new friend. He realized that sometimes, things happen for a reason and that it’s important to always be open to helping others, even if it means going out of your way.