Hi everyone! I did a route today (I do routes every day!) and it wasn't great pay wise, but it was AWESOME otherwise!

If you pull up Google maps, you can follow my route from Franklin, NC to my first stop in Clayton, GA, then my second stop in Seneca, SC, then my third stop back up in Highlands, NC, before I hit my fourth stop back in franklin before I went home.

I wasn't happy that I only had 4 shops, one was a redo I had messed up. Down in SC it was HOT and I have no AC, so I was anxious to get back up into the mountains to cool off. Highlands is at the 4000' level, and at least 15 degrees cooler than Seneca! I had a time constraint too. I hit Seneca at 2 and had to be in Highlands no later than 3:30 . . . I had plenty of time so I played tourist, taking in the scenery as I drove up SC 28 through the national forest. My net pay for the day turned out to be only about $17 and I was a little peeved. You see, I had applied for these shops last Thursday, hoping I could do them that day since I was already on this route. That would have netted me about $50 for the route and saved me a very long trip back. But no, she didn't assign them on Thursday and they finally popped up on my schedule this week.

Back to the story . . . I'm winding my way up 28, making a short stop here and there, and just about a mile south of Highlands I spot a jeep that had gone off the road. There were no second thoughts about "Do I or Don't I" this looked really bad. I pulled off and jumped out, walked quickly over to assess the situation and this lady is pleading, "Do you have a signal? Do you have a signal?" This lady and her husband stopped to render aid and all they could think of was to call 911. That would be good, but no, there is no signal up there! The situation I saw was this: A Jeep Cherokee was literally rocking on the side of the mountain, ready to go at any moment down into the gorge. The driver, a woman in her late 60's or early 70's had gotten out, but her husband was still in the Jeep, front passenger side. Every time he moved, it rocked a little more. It was an 80 to 100 foot drop into the gorge below. I told him to sit still and since people were stopping to gawk, I took control of the situation and began ordering men out of their vehicles, instructing them to "Get over here! I need your body NOW!" They're like, who is this woman?? I told the 4 or 5 who responded to grab the Jeep and sit on that bumper, stabilizing it long enough to get the guy out. I reached in, grabbed him and told him to, "HOLD ON, I Gotcha! I will NOT let you go!" One of the guys said, "If it starts to slide, jump out of the way!" I said, "Hell no! You hang on!" I sure didn't need these guys to feel motion and let it go!! I should have told the old guy to go limp, but it was the heat of the moment and I'm really not trained for such things. Anyway, with my arms under his armpits, I pulled him out and got him on solid ground. I gave thank you's all around and "Good job!!" handshakes and went on my merry way. When I got to Highlands I called it in, and rescue passed me on the way to the scene.

So, how was your day?? :-D

Right time, right place. If the scheduler hadn't dragged her heels . . . If I had refused the shop . . . hmmm . . .

(This is not the first time I have been first on the scene. Maybe I need a Red Cross refresher?)

And THAT was my mystery shopping day! Oh, yes, I did finish my last two shops! Gotta love it!!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2014 12:46AM by Hymnsinger.

Everything happens for a reason.

Before any Monday morning quarterbacks chime in to constructively critique proper procedure, please accept a resounding WAY TO GO!!!
That's worth $17 AND a Hero Citation!

I hear you about the Monday morning quarterbacking. Let's just leave it at... if everyone survived, the right thing was done. The end. You no doubt saved a life. Well done.

Good job!


You're the embodiment of a saying I heard once:

I used to wonder, "Why doesn't somebody do something?" And then I realized, I was Somebody.


Thanks for being the "Somebody" with the confidence to take control of the situation and save a man's life!

Heroes are that because they don't need to be recognized. I commend you on your bravery. I just hope in the future you are able to book other shops around the ones you got stuck with on the wrong day.

Great job!!! Do you know if the Jeep went over or if they were able to save it?

Hi Kim, no, I have no idea. I would like to think they got to it in time but I'll give a call tomorrow and ask. I'm curious too! I am really grateful that I there and able to do something. I can't imagine if that was me sitting there helpless in that rocking vehicle! <shudder!>

Thanks everyone. I'm just glad it turned out well. Of course if he had gone over, it would have been a much different ball game. It would have been a recovery and out of my hands. I'm SO HAPPY I didn't have to witness that! Recoveries are awful.

Tracey

KathyG Wrote:
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> Everything happens for a reason.


No, it doesn't. @#$%& happens.

Awesome job, Hymnsinger. I'm glad you were there to take charge of the flock of gawking sheep.

Well done! How terrifying for that man and his wife!

Mantis Wrote:
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> KathyG Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Everything happens for a reason.
>
>
> No, it doesn't. @#$%& happens.

I tend to agree with Mantis. Not everyone finds their guardian angel. However, this couple were really blessed that you were there, Hymnsinger. That's a gift to be able to function under such tremendous pressure.

I didn't mean to imply that things always have a happy ending. However, there WAS a reason they happened that way on that day. Probably never know why, though.

You were obviously the guardian angel du jour. Great job--well done! I'm familiar with that part of the country. We used to have a little vacation place near Linville and Grandfather Mtn. and wish I was there now as the "feels like" temps here in FL have been in the 100s the last couple of day.

Being a HERO, obviously, has nothing to do with accepting a shop they are desperately trying to get done. You are a true Hero! God Bless You.

You are truly deserving a "Hero Citation" for your actions here. I'm very proud of you, Hymnsinger, for your brave actions in this situation. Kudos!

Robinv

You are my kind of person. Someone who gives a damm and is willing to do something for someone in need makes me feel great that I think like you. I am not a believer in a supreme being but if there is one out there, he owes you one. Doc Lloyd

Aw . . . <blush> Thanks. :-)

Great job and awesome save.

Great story and I LOVE what ya did. I might do something like that myself--I have had a few situations. Someone at work in the Safety department once told me-when there is a fire, most people run away but a few will run toward the fire. THOSE people are the ones we want on our Hazmat team. YUP--I run toward fire and that's why I am the Incident Commander for our building and 40 hour Hazmat trained. LOL

When I first looked at your name, it looked like "Hymen-Singer"

Good job!

No Penthouse type Forum finish to this?

Tracy, as you can see, we have dubbed you our "Hero of the Day!" What an awesome thing you did...Thank you for being so brave and quick thinking. I have no doubt that you were led to this emergency as I also think things happen for a reason. I wish you were driving the streets of Las Vegas! Hugs

I'm a scheduler and I hear all sorts of stories that happen on MS,but this is by far the best one. You'll be rewarded 10 fold.

Wow, it sounded almost like a movie. And you were Denzel Washington! Or Sigorney Weaver. You were put there for a reason!