Everybody’s got a story. It’s just about whether or not you have the time or attention to hear it. And when you do, it can provide some seemingly meaningless things meaning, or shift what you know into perspective and become more evident. You think you know something until you come across someone who really knows.
It’s amazing where a little small talk can lead. And for the very reason it’s called small talk, it usually, inevitably leads to big talk, where larger concepts or real-time human experiences come into focus. Just like what happened to this off-duty cop when he picked up a man in need of a ride.
Officer Lt. Charles Plitt was driving home a brand new lawn mower he bought Memorial Day weekend when he noticed an older gentleman slowly walking on the side of the road. Usually an advocate for not picking up strangers or hitchhikers, Officer Plitt ignored his own advice, given how different this situation felt. He slowed down to pick up the 70-year-old looking man whose name, he later finds out, is James Wright.
The two men then start a conversation that had a lasting effect on Officer Plitt. James’ truck wasn’t running, so instead, he decided he would walk to see his wife, who has dementia, in a nursing home miles down the road. James wasn’t in distress, he was just exhausted and really needed a ride. He walks every day to see his wife, “the most beautiful woman in the world.”
The two opened up about life, mostly James talking about his 22 years in the US Army and the countless wars he’s been in when, all of a sudden, he started to cry. With tears streaming down his face, he explained that all of his friends never made it back from the war.
The officer, touched by this man’s story, offered some kind words and really got to thinking about the true meaning of Memorial Day. This encounter prompted him to write a long Facebook status, sharing his thoughts and feelings with the community. Now, members of the community are banding together to help fix James’ truck so he can be a little more comfortable getting to his wife every day.
Click below to get the full story of this life-changing meeting – for both men.
