To the Editor,

I’d like to thank Kim Owens of the Robeson County Public Library along with CSX railroad employee Anthony Cain for getting my truck started after its battery died in the library parking lot.

When I suspected a battery problem, Kim procured a soft drink to dissolve the erosion from the terminals, and when that didn’t work, she sought jumper cables and so when the jumper cables failed, she jaunted over to a nearby car lot to borrow an equally ineffective pair of jumper cables. She didn’t have to do any of this for me, of course. But because I am a regular visitor to the library to use the computers to look for work — and because I keep my voice down — she felt compelled to help this troubled soul. Thank you Kim.

Things were still not going well so we resorted to Plan B, which would have involved help from the local constabulary. As I stood on the curb waving my arms at a passing Lumberton police car, I was at a loss when it completely passed me by. I was stunned and amazed, well more stunned than amazed, perhaps shocked, unless that borders on the overly dramatic. At any rate, a Robeson County deputy sheriff’s car similarly ignored my gestures and shouts for help, too!

Nonetheless, one Anthony Cain did stop to help me. His was a friendly holiday spirit, kindly asking me what he could do to help. When he reached for his portable battery charger, it wasn’t 30 seconds before my truck was started and he was politely refusing a meager tip I had offered him for his services. He didn’t have to do what he did for me either. Thank you Anthony.

And perhaps the two police officers who passed right by me on Elm Street at lunchtime on a beautiful day didn’t have to help me either. But I thought one would.

Jeffrey Kahn

Lumberton