Mentone Is Full of Good Neighbors

Since I will be 90 years old on May 26, I don’t do a lot of driving. However, a few days ago I decided to take our three dogs for a short ride. Since they are all advanced in age too, they much prefer riding to walking these days. Our ride started out just fine, but due to some unexpected traffic, I found myself needing to turn around in someone’s driveway.

Norm Baker, originally from Providence, Rhode Island, and his wife, Liz, who grew up in Birmingham. They met in Clemson, South Carolina, and moved to Mentone years ago from Atlanta when they retired.

Unfortunately, I missed the driveway and ended up in a ditch. The angle was such that I couldn’t open the driver’s side door.  Nor was I able to climb out the other side, and I had forgotten to take my cell phone with me.  Three restless and anxious dogs scrambling around didn’t help matters. I was beginning to feel anxious myself until a “roadside angel” appeared in the form of a kind and competent young man. He happened to have a chain in the back of his truck and offered to pull me out of the ditch, which he quite competently did. He then followed me home to be sure everything was okay. I was still a little shaky when I arrived home but very grateful for the young man’s kindness.  There are still good people in this world, and lots of them live in Mentone!