More than expected the first day of school atmosphere was electrifying enough without the help of nature. There was much mixture of anxiety and excitement generated by adults and their charges alike. Everybody was early. Parents hovered in and out the classroom, cleaned off the dusty table and chairs and hawk-eyed their children through the window shutters .

Going home was not exactly a breeze cos' one commuter's recalcitrant parents were not there to meet him. The boy cried a lot before the bus-driver uncle undertook to see him home come what may. This thing about school bus is no kicking-up-a-fuss matter. It's no joke as a girl in this cohort was actually reported to be locked in her school bus for the night (she survived the ordeal). All went well for the first week as father and son beat the bus schedule relentlessly not unlike striking ten pins at the alley five times in a row.

On 10 January 2000, we were up late at 6.50am.It was to be a great rush. Somehow we hit the road on foot by 7.05am. It would normally take us half an hour. In our distress we both tried to hail a taxi but to no avail. Wanting some action I decided to cross the road and head for the bus-stop. There were two parallel roads to cross. Crossing the second proofed to be a long wait as traffic streamed by.

Then it happened. A lady in a red car on the outer lane, without so much as asking us whether we needed a lift, commanded us to hop into her car to avoid holding up traffic. We bundled in. She asked for direction to my son's neighbourhood school and sped off as directed. She said she had wanted to stop for us earlier but by the time she came by we had already crossed the first road. Not giving up she actually made a U-turn and came for us again. My son asked who she was and whether I know her. No, I did not. I said, "She is an angel." There was no time to be lost. She dropped us as the school gate, and we hurried out as fast as we could say "Thank you!". It was one quick episode taken out of some fantasy movie script. My son made it before assembly. We made it. That was all that matter for such a time as this.

It was nice to find such a kind person. Her thoughtfulness for our plight involved more than just lifting up a finger or mere lip service. As it turned out we chanced upon this lady knight when accompanying my wife to the wet market on morning of 30 January 2000. She is a stallholder there and true to her nature she was cheerful in disposition and even gave my sons sweets. My wife thanked her for that day's drama and the gracious lady merely said that we looked so pitiful that she had no choice but to help. My wife bought some needed vegetables from her that day.

It was a relaxed and pleasant second encounter and we all parted with warmth in our hearts and glow on our faces. It's time to see how one can help fellow dwellers in our community even if it means doing little things for them. What would our community be like if more were like her?

*** THE END***