In times of trouble, you know who your true friends are.

"You know what happened yesterday, Ai Wei?" she approached me at the bottom of the hill this morning.
"What's that?" Curiously,I waited for her to tell me more.
"Yesterday, I came down from the hill later than you. As I reversed my car slowly out onto the road from the patch of grass I had parked it, a little boy rode his motorcycle right towards my car, hitting one of the tyres. The part through which we pump air in was damaged and air from within whooshed out. There I was with a flat tyre!"
"Oh! How unfortunate!" I exclaimed. "So what did you do?"

Ignoring my question, she went on to tell about the young little boy who was still trying to balance himself on his motorcycle when she came out of her car. The boy was so little, his feet could hardly touch the ground! He was apologising, "Sorry, aunty! Sorry, aunty!" and asking for help at the same time with "Please help me. Please help."

Although she was annoyed at the damaged caused she was also amused that this little fellow was asking for her help to get off the bike. She helped him off his bike and pushed it to one side. As the damage was negligible, although it would be troublesome, she allowed him to start the bike again and sat astride it while it wobbled as though it could drop to one side at any moment. Then, the little boy rode away, leaving this poor friend the problem of going to her workplace.

First, one man she has known for some time came along. He stopped, looked at her tyre when she told him what had happened and then went on to his car to disappear from the scene.

Next came another guy she has been friendly with for some time. Upon hearing her story, he became angry with the no longer present little boy and his parents for allowing the child to ride around so dangerously. He told her she should have caught hold of the boy and if there was no compensation forth-coming, take the boy to the police-station. After the ranting, he also disappeared from the scene without asking the lady how she was to get a lift or help to repair the tyre.

Then there was this man she had always held in great respect. She had always told me about this man's great wealth, his abilities and his goodness. The man did not even come near, just a glance he cast in her direction and was quiet upon being told her problem. He too disappeared from the scene without extending any help.

From what has been written, perhaps someone reading this could have come to the wrong conclusion that this lady was not too friendly with people. That is definitely not the case. I have often seen how she has always been friendly and good towards them.

Well, it is a case where one gets to really know who your true friends are in times of trouble. They certainly knew she needed transport, if not to her place of work, at least to her home or a tyre shop where repairs could be acquired. This is where we can see who are the ones who are genuinely concerned.