‘Thanks’ says motorist to couple who helped her find her way
Máire McCabe from Navan has contacted the Westmeath Examiner as she was keen to thank two local people who helped her when she became lost on her way home after a visit to her daughter in Ballymahon.
Máire says she often goes to Ballymahon and she knows “the journey inside out” – but “whatever happened that day, on my way home I got lost”.
“I came to the roundabout and there was a sign for the hospital and a sign for Mullingar town, but I went too far. I could see the business park and I thought, oh my God I’m lost,” says Mary.
“I’m driving since I came out of the training college years ago. I’m a retired teacher, I taught most of my life in Loreto, I was the first lay principal in Navan,” she said.
“So I kept going anyhow, and I came to a roundabout and there was only one other person behind me. I was really lost at this point, and frustrated, so I stopped at the roundabout and I went back to this lovely lady and told her what had happened. I asked her if she would show me the road to Delvin – if I could get to Delvin, I’d be quite happy.”
The lady she spoke to asked Máire to follow her to a shop, where the staff would know the area better.
“So I followed her to the supermarket, I don’t know the name of it, I stood in the porch there, and this lovely man came in from outside. He was after getting out of his car, so I told him my story and I told him I was anxious at this stage.
“He told me to wait while he just popped in for a few groceries, and when he came out he told me to follow him. All I remember about his car was that it was white and it was 142, that’s all I remember. I clocked it (on her car) and it was five miles out of his way, but he got me to where I was going.
“He stopped and got out of his car and I thanked him from the bottom of my heart. I asked his name, and told him I would get a Mass said for him, which I did the next day. He told me his name was Gerry, and his wife was Jeanette, and he told me they were after having a lovely meal for their wedding anniversary. I just wanted to thank those kind people again.”