Good Samaritan…Where are You?

Honest Lady Finds Lost Purse in Marianna

By Sid Riley

In today’s world which is full of stories of horrific crimes, robberies, thefts, drugs, and too
many examples of uncivilized behavior, it is comforting to realize there are many honest, hard working, Christian people among us. Their goodness is taken for granted, and their honesty usually goes unheralded.

Wilma Black, owner of Marianna Glass Company was shopping at the Grocery Outlet in Marianna last Friday, the busiest time of the week for the store. After Wilma had unloaded her groceries she returned her grocery cart to the cart holding area, returned to her car, and drove away. It was not until she had driven across town and was leaving her vehicle to go into another store when she realized she had left her purse in that grocery cart.

In a panic she rushed back across town, hoping against hope that the purse was still where she had left it. As she drove down Lafayette she recalled items which were in the purse…two check books….several credit cards….$384.00 in cash…..her drivers license…her social security card…and many personal items. She realized she had made a serious mistake and feared for the worse.

Back at the grocery store, she hastily parked and rushed up to the empty cart area..NO PURSE! Wilma then entered the store and asked cart boys, clerks, and managers if they had any reports of a purse being turned in. They all answered to the negative, several looking at her as if to question why she would even expect such an item to be turned in to them.

In total despair she next went to the Marianna City Police Department to report the incident, now feeling sure the purse was lost, and probably her identity. She envisioned forged checks and multiple charges on those credit cards, and there was no forecasting what evils would come from the disclosure of her social security number.

She could barely speak as she tried to tell the man behind the counter at the police reception desk her sad story. She was near tears as she began to speak.

Then the man smiled, and said “An African-American woman turned your purse in to us about five minutes ago. Here it is!” Wilma could barely believe what she was hearing.

The purse was completely intact. All of the money, cards and other items were untouched, just as she had left them. The Good Samaritan had taken the time to bring the purse to the police station, and had not even left her name. “What a blessing,” Wilma thought. “It is wonderful to know good people are out there.”

Wilma is now trying to locate the lady who performed this act of honesty and caring on her behalf. Wilma wants to hug her neck, and if she will take it, to give her a reward for her actions. So, if the Good Samaritan reads this story, please call Sid Riley at the Jackson County Times, 526-1501.