Cade Lucas
It was a small gesture that made a big impact.
On Thursday May 16, Werribee’s Diana Cole was filling her car at the Railway Drive service station, when the emphysema sufferer encountered a familiar problem.
“I went to get the pump and put it in my car and I didn’t feel very well because I was out of breath,” said the 82 year old.
“I couldn’t move, I was just breathless.”
While being short of breath is a familiar feeling to anyone with the incurable lung condition, what happened next to isn’t so common.
“These two ladies saw me and said ‘are you alright?’ and I said ‘not really’,” Diana recalled.
“And they said ‘do you want us to put petrol in?’ and I said ‘yes’.”
Diana had no idea who these two 30-something women were, where they came from or why they’d decided to come to her aid, but as one of them filled her car with $40 worth of fuel, she decided to ask if they could help stop her windscreen smearing too.
“She said ‘go into the shop and buy some stuff for the windscreen wipers and we’ll stay here until you come back so we can show you where it goes’,” said Diana who at this stage still didn’t know either of their names, but appreciated their help.
It was only after going inside to buy the windscreen cleaner and pay for her petrol that she realised just how much help that was.
“The lady behind the counter said ‘they’ve already paid for you’. I said’ what do you mean?’ And she said ‘they’ve paid for you’. I couldn’t believe it,” said Diana, still in disbelief more than a fortnight on.
“I went out and said (to the women)’ I can’t let you pay for my petro’l and they said, ‘we want to do that’.“
So overwhelmed was Diana by the generosity of her two good samaritans, that she forgot to get their names and is now trying to get in touch to thank them.
“I’d give them a bunch of flowers, though I don’t know if they’d like that sort of thing,” she said.
“They can come to my place and have cake and a cup of tea any time”
While missing their names, Diana did glean that the two women were garbage collectors for a waste company subcontracted by Wyndham council and were wearing yellow jackets and one had glasses.
She has since contacted council to try and identify them, but to no avail.
Wherever the two women are, Diana said they’re an example of the local community being much kinder and more generous that it’s given credit for
“I am sick to death of people running Werribee down. There’s a lot of lovely people here,” she said.
Anyone who knows the identity of the two female garbage collectors should contact the Star Weekly at: westeditorial@starweekly.com.au
