Theme: Tolerance, patience

The hurried driver

Saulo was returning from work. In his car, he tried to concentrate on the music playing on the radio, to distract himself from the traffic jam.

There were many cars around him. Everyone was stopped. When they walked, it was very slowly. The traffic light opened and closed without many getting through.

Patience was a virtue that drivers demanded in that situation.

The traffic light opened again, and this time Saulo was close to the intersection.

- Come on, come on, guys! I think I can pass this time! He said hopefully.

But as soon as the cars started to move, there was an insistent horn from a car trying to force its way through the lines that were forming. The drivers of the other cars were very upset. Some complained, others even cursed. Then they ended up going to on side so that "hurried car" would pass without hitting their car.

Saulo saw the scene through the rearview mirror and thought:

- Not this one! I will not give way to this baggy. I am also tired and want to get home. Let him wait in line, like everyone else.

But the car that asked for passage was getting closer and closer, until it was right behind Saulo, who kept the car in the same position. The car behind began to honk. Saulo thought that was absurd.

- How audacious - he muttered.

He looked again in the rearview mirror and saw the distressed driver, gesturing and saying something. Saul then imagined that perhaps that man was in serious trouble. He thought it wouldn't hurt if he took his car a little on side and let it pass. But, soon after, another thought plagued him:

- What if he is just pretending, just to make the others fool and pass ahead? There is so much trickery out there... I don't know!

But the driver was honking his horn and making agitated gestures that Saulo finally gave him the way. Saulo tilted his car to the side and the other driver managed to pass the intersection, with the light already yellow. Saulo stayed and had to wait a little longer.

- Better that way! If there is any problem, as it seems, I must help him. If he is deceiving us, at least the wrong will be him, not me.

When he finally got home, Saulo noticed that his wife, Telma, was not there, as usual. He was surprised because she, who was pregnant and with a big belly, had always preferred to wait for her company for the outings she needed to do.

Saulo had barely noticed his wife's absence when someone rang the bell. It was her neighbor Sandra, somewhat agitated, speaking hurriedly:

- Hi, Saulo! Glad you came! You have to go to the hospital! My husband took Telma there. She started to feel a lot of pain and thought that the baby could be born. We were unable to warn you because you were already out of work.

- My God! - Saulo said, worried - But he wasn't to be born yet! Thank you, Sandra, I'll be going soon...

Saulo went to the hospital as quickly as he could. Once there, he was informed by a nurse that, in fact, his son was about to be born.

- He will be born a little before the scheduled time... But don't worry, your wife's doctor called a pediatrician specialized in premature babies to attend the delivery - explained the nurse, reassuring Saulo - The two are already taking care of her, you just need to wait.

Saulo was then taken to a waiting room, where he stayed for a time that seemed forever. After many prayers and much concern, the nurse told him that the labor was over and that he could now see his wife.

Telma was fine, comfortable in a bed. When he saw her, Saulo ran to embrace her. The two smiled and soon the pediatrician entered the room, with the baby on his lap, saying happily:

- Congratulations! You have a beautiful and strong son. He scared us, but now everything is fine!

Telma and Saulo were very grateful and listened carefully to the recommendations about baby care.

The pediatrician then said goodbye and picked up his things to go home to rest. He was very pleased that he arrived on time and that everything went well. A few hours earlier, he had been called back to the hospital, urgently, to save the life of a baby who was born prematurely.

Saulo, caught up in the emotion of the moment, did not recognize the doctor who had helped his little boy to be born. He was the hurried driver, to whom he had passed.

Saulo could never imagine that, by helping that driver, he was helping himself and his family.

Translation:
Larissa Martine - larissa_am@hotmail.com

marcelapradacontato@gmail.com