Good Samiritan

The day was turning out to be a great one. The sun peeked behind the clouds the way it used to while we were on the playground, running so quickly our little legs were sure to snap off. I had just been given a promotion at work and was feeling great about myself. My good mood continued through my afternoon and into the night. My partner insisted on going out to dinner to celebrate the accomplishment, and I couldn’t help but blush when he admitted that I’d been selling myself short. He said I was worth much more than they could afford.

I decided to spray my good perfume, used exclusively for holidays and special occasions. “This is a special occasion,” I insisted. I had an issue with receiving praise. My insecurities would fester within me, threatening to launch themselves back at others with the dreaded retort, “No, but thanks!”. It was often cosplaying as fishing for compliments, but more accurately, it was me not wanting to be acknowledged at all. I only wanted to be seen by people who were extremely close to me, such as my blood kin or my lifelong friends.

He took me to this exquisite Italian restaurant called “The Rail”. My lips curved up in glee. I couldn’t wait for red wine and pasta, maybe even some tiramisu. I felt an immense sense of gratitude in that moment, for my life, my job, everything was coming up. Don’t get me wrong, navigating your 20s is never easy, and I had my fair share of failures and heartbreak. But tonight, I was seeing everything through rose-tinted glasses, and I couldn’t wait to see what else was in store. Perhaps a romantic walk by the river. Or a long kiss at a red light. Just as my mind was spinning with possibilities, our table was ready.

Once we sat, he ordered us a bottle of red and asked for extra bread. He knew how much I loved to dunk the pieces in the leftover sauce. My stomach lurched with anticipation, and my mouth followed suit by salivating.

He stared lovingly back at me. There was a devilish grin upon his face, as if he knew something I didn’t. My palms started sweating. Could this possibly be…. The night? The night when I finally got engaged. Suddenly, dread fell over me. My nails were chipped. He should’ve warned me to get them done first! But I held my composure. This was going to be one of the happiest days of my life. I couldn’t hyperfixate on something as trivial as nail polish.

We drank and talked about our week, planned what we wanted to do with the new influx of cash, and finally, our food arrived. My dish was a decadent bolognese with thick pasta noodles that swam throughout the bowl. The bread was immaculate, accompanied by delicious whipped butter that made me swoon. The whole dish screamed luxury. And right as I was about to take another bite…..

He drops down to one knee.

The rest of the time at the restaurant was a blur. Of course, I said yes! I screamed Yes! The other couples in the restaurant were full of congratulations, as were the servers. The ring was absolutely impeccable, a 3-carat Tiffany diamond with a silver band. I cried tears of joy as he announced to the world how much he loved me and that he wanted to be with me forever.

Once the check had been paid, we felt a little spontaneous. So, we decided to stop at the nearest gas station and buy their most expensive bottle of champagne. I wanted to go in with him, but he insisted that it was getting brisk out and he didn’t want me to get a cold. As soon as he exited the car, I called my mother and blurted out the good news! She was extremely excited, and we squealed together for minutes on end. But by the end of the call, she admitted that she already knew, since he had asked for their permission the previous week.

As I hung up the phone, a man stood at the pump in front of ours, looking perplexed. His brow was furrowed, and he seemed to be in distress. Since my day was going so well, I decided to be a Good Samaritan and see if there was anything I could do to help. I stepped out of the car and walked over to him, exhaling a fog with every breath. It was getting chilly.

“Hello, sir! Hi! Is everything alright?” I called after him.

He cocked his head as he looked at me. His thick mustache covered the majority of his mouth. “Oh yes, dear. Just getting some gas, but the goddamned machine won’t work with my new card.” His ruddy green baseball cap was swept to one side.

“Huh, that’s strange. Did you try going inside to the cashier?” I asked, I looked over at my new fiancé in the checkout aisle, and my heart fluttered a bit.

His face turned a blush shade as he said, “Well, I would, but I don’t have any cash on me and my card ain’t workin”.

This was the time. I was being given everything I’d ever wanted. A promotion, a fiancée, all in one day. I knew this was my chance to give back, to pay it forward. I reached into my wallet and pulled out a crisp $20 bill. A smile curled up on his lips. I made someone smile. The thought truly warmed my heart.

I made my way over to him, money clutched tight in my hand. “Well, ain’t you the sweetest. What a kind girl you are. Your parents must be real proud of ya.” His smile was contagious, and a smile crept up on my lips as well. Could this day get any better?

But just then, my stomach plummeted.

A voice called out from inside the car. It was feminine and quiet, just barely audible. But I heard it. It rang, “HELP ME PLEASE! ANYBODY!”

As I turned my face back to him, something hard smashed into the back of my head.

The night went black.