Mary Carey...

This is a true story. When I was 22 years-old and Tammie was expecting Kaylee we did not have a car. I would have never told this story a year ago because it was embarrassing to me. We were having a child and lived below hand to mouth. I'm sure everyone was jaw dropped thinking how are they going to do it with no car. We lived with 5 roommates in Waldo and had no place to live. Waldo, no car, and a kid coming.

By the grace of God we found a woman who had a duplex that would rent to us. Tammie worked at Marco Polo's in Waldo and I at Dos Hombres in Brookside. The location of the house was perfect. I walked to work and Tammie had girlfriends that worked with her so they let her carpool. We did this for awhile before I got a call from a woman.

The woman on the phone was Mary Carey. She was the mother of Craig Estopare, a friend I had known since I was 8 years-old. She invited me over to her house because she said she had a present for me. I had not seen Mary in years and she had a present for me? Weird. But I was there when she told me to come. I needed any presents at that time because I was in a cycle of confusion and scare. I was having a kid and I was not ready.

I arrived at Mary's house and we talked. She had heard through one of her boys that I was walking to work and an expecting father. Yes I was. She tossed me some keys. My confusion cycle was hit again. I asked her "what are these?" She said it is the keys to the Ford Tempo sitting outside. She gave me a car. The heat worked, the a/c worked and it had 4 wheels! I might have cried, I don't remember. She looked at me and told me she needed help at one time and this was her way of paying it back.

It's funny how things can work out or not. I believe that sometimes you strap in the seat and let life take you on a ride. Things always seem to work out. Our brown Ford Tempo was the vehicle that we drove Kaylee home from the hospital in. We needed that car and it arrived from an angel named Mary Carey. So investigate the situation sometimes. I know several people that wouldn't give you a dime if you where thirsty because they have a certain mentality that you should do it alone. I have a different mind set. I believe that everyone needs a drink every now and again regardless of where it comes from. Drink up!