Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Look Out For One Another


 After the other day’s story of Louisville, Kentucky police murdering Breonna Traylor in her home, I found another, far better, story about people in Louisville.

Jake Bland is the operations manager at Hometown Hauling, a refuse collection company in Louisville, and he’s also on the truck picking up his customers trash. One day, during his regular route, he noticed that there was no trash out in front of one house, owned by an elderly woman; in fact, it had been a couple of weeks since she’d put the garbage out.

But rather than move on to the next address, Jake called his dispatcher, Bernice Arthur, and voiced his concerns. Bernice then called the 90-year-old customer and was relieved that she answered the phone. Relief turned quickly to grief when the woman told her she hadn’t put her trash out in a few weeks because she didn’t have any:
"She just didn't have nothing to eat….and that's why she had no trash to put out there."
 The woman depended on public transportation to get to and from her local grocer, and because of a now limited public transportation schedule, and a fear of getting on a crowded bus with strangers—many unmasked—during a pandemic, she wasn’t able to get any food.

For ten days before Jake Bland came along.

Bernice said the woman told her that she had no family to help and Bernice cut her off:
“You have a family now.”
Bernice asked her to make a shopping list and, after his shift, Jake returned to her house and picked up the list, went shopping, and brought everything back to Mrs. W. And his company paid for the food.

Jake offered to help her put everything away, but Mrs. W told him to leave it in the garage to keep everyone safe.

Bernice and Jake have vowed to check on the many elderly and disabled customers that they have, and will continue to check on Mrs. W.

I wonder if all those people marching on state capitals because they want a beer and a haircut, or to get their hair and nails done, have given one thought to people like Mrs. W. Or are they too busy in their own little shallow worlds to think of others.

Luckily for several people, Jake and Bernice didn’t think like that.

16 comments:

  1. Well this made my morning! Some people are just so thoughtful.

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  2. now THIS story is uplifting! the ammosexuals (white male domestic ignorant racist terrorists that they are) are like the dump - they only care about themselves.

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  3. Very wonderful and sweet.
    xoxo :-)

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  4. Anonymous11:41 AM

    Damn!!! My allergies are acting up. Be right back.

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  5. Now THAT is the America I miss. That was a good second stop today for my reading!!!!!! During this time, at the market and grocery, I have gone out of my way to thank everybody who works there. Most are just tickled to even hear a THANK YOU. One lady at the grocery said all they hear is the bad, the complaints, and why there out of things. Just something as a simple thank you makes their day.

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  6. Thank you for posting this story, Bob. It helps me to remember that there are good people, kind people, left in this country of ours. We can all take a lesson from this, to be a little more aware of each others' needs. xx

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  7. I believe that the good people far outnumber the bad, the malicious and downright stupid

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  8. The Good most of the times prevails ... it certainly did this time for sure.

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  9. That’s a great story. Glad there are ppl like that still.

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  10. This story brought tears to my ears. Jake and Bernice have reminded me that there ARE good people in this world and, yes, STILL in the state of Kentucky. I won't judge.

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  11. What wonderful people. This is the best story all week! Gladdens the heart.

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  12. See, Good People do exist!

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  13. There are good people about - but often they just go about their business doing good quietly in the background while the assholes are making all the noise up front. Lovely story.

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  14. @Steven
    I was glad to find this story because I'm growing weary of allthe hate going on right now.

    @AM
    There are good people out there, but sometimes the asshats hog all the oxygen.

    @TDM
    Nice, right?

    @VRC
    Go on and cry, it's worth it!

    @MM
    I'm the same way, and I really hope to keep it up after this is over. Just say Hello and Thank you.

    @Jennifer
    The good people are out there. We just need to look for them.

    @Helen
    I agree.

    @Tommy
    It did this time, and will in others, too.

    @krayolakris
    Yup.

    @Mitchell
    We all need to be more like Jake and Bernice.

    @JanF
    It does warm my often cold black heart!

    @Six
    Yes.It is love.

    @Dave
    They're out there!

    @Treaders
    You put it exactly right.

    @BloggerJoe
    Pass it on. We need more of these

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