Narrative essay "Helping People; Not Always in Your Best Interest"

Essay by amazyahCollege, UndergraduateA-, November 2003

download word file, 4 pages 3.0 1 reviews

Downloaded 144 times

Helping People; Not Always in Your Best Interest.

I used to believe in helping everyone I could. I enjoyed the feeling I got when I reversed a

stranger's bad day and turned it into something good. I've learned better since then. Don't get

me wrong; I still agree with and practice the concept, but I'm much more adept at it now that I

have gained experience. Even though I was the rescuer, it seemed like I always had to pay a

personal price for being kind to people. After suffering much heartache, embarrassing episodes,

and personal loss, I've learned that giving help to my fellow human beings can be a risky

endeavor if not approached correctly.

Long ago, when I was still green behind the ears, I enjoyed spending most of my

evenings out on the town. I was eighteen, naïve, and ready to take on the world. One particular

night, after spending my usual hour bathing and fixing myself up, I was eager to go bar hopping.

As was customary for me, I slipped behind the wheel, dressed to kill, and sped down a long, back

country road. Suddenly, rounding a sharp curve, I came upon an old, economy sized vehicle,

pulled off onto the grass. There were no shoulders on the side of the road this far out. A well

dressed, shapely woman stood nearby. She appeared dumbfounded and bewildered, staring at

her vehicle. I instantly felt sorry for her; stranded and helpless, miles from any service station. I

was confident that I could fix her problem, save the lady in distress, and spend my evening

feeling good about helping someone out. I also hoped that I might impress her. I pulled up in

front of her vehicle and hopped out, ready to assist, and conquer any challenge.