Thankful for the help of a total stranger

It seems all you hear about anymore is bad things going on, but this past week my faith in mankind was renewed. There are still good people out there. 

I ordered pizza for the staff at the nursing home where my mother lives in Ava. Jerry [Luna] and I went to Ava to pick it up and decided to eat in a little restaurant there before picking it up. 

When it was time to go pick up the pizza, we started to leave, but the fob for the car was completely dead. We couldn’t even get into the car. 

While trying everything to get the car door open, a stranger who was also at the restaurant came out and asked if we needed any help. He and Jerry finally got the door open, but the car wouldn’t start. 

The stranger reached in his pocket and got his keys out and said, “Here, take my truck down to Bumper to Bumper and get a battery. It’s just down the street.”

No questions were asked. No names were exchanged. 

Jerry left in his truck, and the man went back in the restaurant to finish his meal. 

I waited there for Jerry to get back. I like to know who I am dealing with, so I went over to the man who was eating with his father and his son and asked him what his name was. He said his name was Doug Landsdown. He said he had recently retired from the Bakersfield School where he had been a coach for several years and lived in West Plains.

I told them we had come to Ava to pick up pizza for the staff at the nursing home. 

Jerry returned with his truck but said they didn’t have the battery he needed. 

This stranger told his dad and son, “I’ll catch up with you at the house. We’ve got some pizzas to pick up. Then we’ll deal with the car.”

Neither of them seemed surprised or upset. 

He took us to the store to pick up the pizzas, then to the nursing home and helped us carry them in. He never asked our names or anything about us. He just pitched in and helped us through our problem. 

While I spent some time with my mother, they went back to the car and dealt with it.

I know people used to help their neighbors here in the Ozarks, but this was a total stranger going above and beyond. 

It sure is nice to know there are people still out there who do these sorts of good deeds. 

A big thanks goes to the Landsdown family for all the assistance and understanding. 

Marilyn Tilley

Gainesville