Dinner Invitations Gratefully Accepted

The start of the new year sees me in a temporary state of bachelorhood.

Mrs Holt Press, Sport Boy and Favourite Daughter are all in Tasmania for the next couple of weeks.

 

FD went to the Falls Festival at Marion Bay over New Year and tomorrow rendezvous' with the others at Bruny Island where they are all staying with Ray and helping out at his cafe. So while they dine on gourmet food in stunning surroundings, I will soldier on at work to keep the wages coming in, dining on packet meals and baked beans!!

If you feel any sympathy for me, and live within a 50km radius (this narrows it down to a very small group I realise) feel free to invite me over for dinner!

Rose

Meanwhile, I had an interesting encounter in the supermarket carpark on New Year's Day. I had dropped the Tassie tourists off at the airport and on my way back to Geelong to go to work I stopped to buy a few provisions. 

As I walked back to the car I noticed a young woman returning her trolley who appeared to be wiping tears from her eyes.

Sure enough, as I went to drive out I saw her sitting in her car and clearly distressed about something.

I didn't know what was wrong but I felt compelled to stop and ask if she was OK.

She looked a little surprised when I tapped on her window and asked who I was, perhaps worried I was a cop or something.

I

"I saw you crying and just wanted to see if there was anything I can do to help you".

Her reply was a little hard to follow but the sense I had was that she was being troubled by voices and distressing thoughts and was perhaps suffering some form of mental health problem.

"The voices are trying to hurt me, they bully me, they won't leave me alone".

"Are they in your head or can you hear them out loud?"

"Both, they come through the radio".

She said something about a previous car crash and serious injuries she had sustained and appeared to me to still have some physical difficulties also. She said she'd received a compensation payout but people then harrassed her for money.

I was very saddened by her condition and her distress.

"Is there anyone you trust who can help you?"

"My parents, my Dad, but they're away on holiday".

I asked her name.

"Rose"

"I don't know how I can help you Rose but can I pray for you? I'm a Christian and I believe God cares about you".

Rose looked at me warily but nodded her consent.

I held her hand and said a simple prayer, that God would ease her distress and help her with the things that were troubling her.

She thanked me for stopping and for talking to her.

As I walked back to my car I felt a mix of helplessness and sadness but also a small degree of  satisfaction. I don't imagine my brief encounter with Rose will have any miraculous effect but I was glad that I had taken the time to make human contact with her and tried to communicate that someone cares. I hope she will be OK. I will keep praying for her.