Donny was going to work one morning when a white work truck stopped in front of Valley Point School to turn in. There is lots of construction work going on because Valley Point is building a new school building.
Donny was sitting, waiting on the man to turn in, when a car suddenly hit him from behind. The impact was so unexpected that he took his foot off the brake and it rolled into the truck in front of him. Now both bumpers are dented and the tailgate looks bad. Fortunately, the guy's truck wasn't damaged because of his trailer hitch but the car that hit Donny was totaled.
The insurance company finally approved the repairs for Donny's truck. Donny asked me to meet him at the house around four o'clock so we could take the truck to the mechanic, Mr. Carroll, to get it fixed.
I had been at the Whitfield County courthouse this morning. Later I picked up my friend, Joann, and we went to the Cracker Barrel for a bowl of soup. She paid the bill and I paid the tip. That's how I know I had my wallet then.
Later we went to Walgreen's and while we were in line I got out to look for my pocketbook I had stuffed behind my seat. I needed my dark sunglasses because the sun was finally shining too brightly.
I rushed home to meet Donny and we took his truck to Mr. Carroll's and started to go home but I remembered that Mamma said Donny could drive my daddy's truck while his was being fixed so we went on to Mamma's house to get the truck.
As luck would have it, it wouldn't start, so we called my son and got him to come help push the truck away from the carport so we could get close enough to boost the battery off.
I went to the Walmart Neighborhood Market after that.
I tried to find my wallet and tore my pocketbook apart and looked all around inside the truck but couldn't find it. Naturally, I got mad and started panicking and calling Joann to ask if she could remember where I had it last. She mentioned that I'd gotten out of the truck.
She drove around Walgreen's and I called them to see if anybody had turned it in. Joann even called the Cracker Barrel for me. Nobody knew anything.
After about an hour I finally came home and looked for it even though I'd already got Donny to look for it.
The phone rang and I answered it. Somebody said they were Officer Rittenhouse from the Dalton Police Department and wanted to talk to Pamela or Donny Strickland. I was excited and said "I'm Pamela Strickland. Did you find my billfold?"
She told me a nice 85 year old lady turned my wallet in to the police. I asked her where she found it and the lady said it was at the Walgreen's. The officer said I could come pick up my wallet at the police station.
I couldn't believe my good fortune. I offered Officer Rittenhouse a reward for the lady who turned my wallet in and she called the lady to tell her that I wanted to give her something but she said she was just glad she was able to help. Her name was Mrs. Manis. She has renewed my faith in people again.
There aren't enough stories about good people who do good deeds and I believe people like Mrs. Manis are few and far between. They deserve a special thanks and honor. Not everybody would be that honest.
Thank you, Mrs. Manis.
Donny said I'm lucky.
No, I'm blessed.
AS ALWAYS
PIO
Donny said I'm lucky.
No, I'm blessed.
AS ALWAYS
PIO
