Helping people

The story with such phrases:

to extricate oneself

to render defenceless

to have a rotten time

to be as hard as nails

to wear pathetic expression

to wring one's heart strings

to swear solemn oath

to be apt to do smth.

to keep one's council

to grow peevish

a fickle woman

to stand between hazards

to get over the blow

a callous man

to trump best card

in possession of sences

limits of endurance

He was driving home one evening, on a lane country road. It was a lonely road. Not very many people had a reason to be on it, unless they were leaving. He was born here and knew the country. He was apt to go down this road blind, and tell you what was on the either side. It was starting to get dark and light snow flurries were coming down. He had a rotten time and it would be better for him to get a move on. You know, he almost didn't see the old lady, stranded on the side of the road. But even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. He was in possession of senses. So he pulled up in front of her car and got out. The city was still sputtering when he approached her. Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. He realized that it was the city of callous men. He knew how she felt and that the old lady stood between hazards. She wrung his heart – strings.

He could see that she was frightened and rendered defenseless standing out there in the cold. He said, "I'm here to help you ma'am. By the way, my name is Steve." But she was in panic and began to grow peevish.

But the stranger kept his counsel. She met with an accident and couldn’t extricate herself. There was something with her car. As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she began to talk to him. The old lady told him that she was only just passing through. She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid.

That lady got over the blow and asked him how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She had already imagined all the awful things that could have happened. Steve never thought twice about the money. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and there were plenty who had given him a hand in the past. He swore a solemn oath that nothing would induce him to take her money. He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance that they needed, and Steve added "...and think of me."

He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day. There were limits to human endurance but he felt good as he went home, disappearing into the twilight. He trumped his best card helping such a fickle woman.