Eldership 2025 Spain - On The Kindness Of Strangers At Elderbase Camello

There is so much crap going on in the world that it can be very easy to become totally cynical and just assume everything is going down the tubes. 

Then something happens that blows you away and fills you with wonder about your fellow man. 

On Sundays and Wednesdays there are big markets here in Campello. Wife was on the hunt for some nuts/snacks. It is a reasonable trek up a hill from our flat to get to the market and with Wife's recovering foot we decided to drive up there. Parking is difficult but we were aware of a non-paved parking lot close by. As we entered, I dropped Wife off so she would not have to walk any longer than necessary. I moved into the parking area and noted it was way more deeply rutted than I remembered. PLUS, it had rained and there were some very big looking mud holes. 

I kind of forgot I was driving a vehicle much lower than my one at home. I was trying to maneuver between the ruts and sure enough got myself totally stuck in a deep mud hole. I mean the front bumper and the side of the vehicle right to the ground stuck. I knew I was in deep trouble (pun intended). This is when the amazement started to happen.

A number of people who were walking from the cars to the market immediately stopped, pointed at me and came over to try and help. Many were women. They pushed. I tried to see if I could get traction but I was just in too deep. More people came. Much talking. All in Spanish. Various ideas floated. Some tried. No progress. No one leaving. 

A man went to get a shovel and he starts digging around where the bumper and side were fully grounded. Then another man comes. He seems to know more about this than anyone else. He takes charge. Directs some people. Indicates to me what he wants me to do. We all go into action. The car is freed up. 

AMAZING

The guy goes off. I barely have time to thank him. Everyone else is giving high fives and saying a bunch of stuff in Spanish. the guy with shovel is giving me detailed instructions to go to somewhere (I think a service station, maybe to get the car washed?) but I barely understand a word. Wife and I still have to negotiate a 90 point turn to get myself off the small bit of dry land and onto the way out. 

We went to a different parking lot and still went to the market. Will need to get the car washed.

 I'm not sure this would happen elsewhere in the world. I am still pretty blown away that people would put in all this effort for a complete stranger and not even one from their country.