"Need Your Help with Crosswords!"

This is based on a true story told by a theater actor.

***

My wife was nine months pregnant, we were ready for delivery any day. But I still had to rehearse for a play we were to open in a couple of weeks.

So one day at the dress rehearsal, my wife called me in a rush and said that it started and she'd been taken by an ambulance to deliver the baby. I didn't even have time to change out of my clothes (I played a beggar in the play) and I rushed to the maternity ward.

When I got there, I couldn’t find a free parking space. So I blocked someone and left my phone number on the windshield, like they usually do in such situations. You should have seen the looks people gave me when I got into the maternity ward, dressed and made up like a beggar.

Before I went into the delivery room, I texted the family chat to say that we are at the maternity hospital. So throughout the delivery, I was receiving lots of calls from relatives and friends inquiring if the baby had already been delivered.

Among all those calls, someone called from an unknown number, “She hasn’t given birth yet, right?”

“Not yet, right, still in process.”

“Ok, then can you tell me the word for both emperor and salad?

I paused for a second, wondering and thinking, “Caesar?”

“Ah, yes, it fits, thank you!” and he just hung up.

I’m puzzled but not too concerned, as I’m thinking about my wife and the baby. Besides, you never know what kind of tasks people prioritize.

A whole hour has passed, another call comes from the same number, “If she’d given birth, I would have already known. So I’ll just get right to it: what’s the Earth’s companion?”

“Moon?” I say, still confused.

“But of course, how couldn’t I have thought of it myself? Thank you!” and he hang up again.

I’m puzzled even more, but still too involved in my wife’s delivery. Two more hours pass, my wife has finally given birth to my baby daughter, I exhale in relief and text everyone out the happy news. And when I see the call from the same unfamiliar number, I say, exhausted, “Hello?”

“Ok, tell me the name of Athos’ [one of the Dumas' three musketeers] female companion?”

“Milady?... Man, who are you? And why are you calling me?”

“I’m the one whose car you blocked with your car at the parking lot. I’m just sitting here, waiting for you, solving crossword puzzles.”

“Oh my god, man, why didn’t you tell me right away that I'd blocked you?"

“Listen, young man, I’m sitting in my car at the maternity ward. I know how important it is for you to be with your wife when she is giving birth."

"But that's why I left my number. I would have come out and moved the car.”

"Ah, I could wait. I just didn’t want to distract you. What can be more important than kids? I have four of my own. Believe me, I have nowhere to rush…”

***

I loved this story because it shows that even in our troubled turbulent world, when many people put their own interests above those of others, good people still exist. The crossword puzzle man could have just called and demanded to unblock his car, but instead he patiently waited until the baby was delivered. Always love me a story about a considerate stranger. I also loved the humor, both the author's self-deprecating humor and the ultimate punch line: "I have four kids but nowhere to rush!"