I went to the grocery store today.  I grabbed a burger on the way and ate it in the parking lot.  I threw the wrapper away and went into the store.  After I put the grocery bags into the back of the car, I took my keys out of my pocket and noticed that the ignition key was missing.  How could this be?  I had the key chain, but the ignition key was gone.

I checked my pocket many times over, frisked myself vigorously, and still no key.  I got down on my hands and knees and looked all around and under the car.  A kind and friendly man asked what I was looking for and I told him.  Over the next half hour or so, this good Samaritan and I looked all over the parking lot, the cashier area, the isles of the store, and all over my car, but no key.  I called my wife to see if she can arrange for me to be picked up.  I know we do not have a spare key – so this has hassle written all over it.

I said several prayers during this time, yet was ready to give up.  I decided to try one last thing – the garbage can by the shopping cart return area.  This was where I threw the burger wrapper away.  I took the can apart and emptied it looking for the blasted key.  At the very bottom of the bag was the missing key.  The part of the key where the key ring goes through had broken, and somehow the key had fallen into the wrapper.  I was overjoyed.

I wondered if the helpful stranger was still around.  He seemed as concerned as I was.  He might have gone home by now, it had been a half hour.  I would have.  But I thought I would see if he were still around.  Sure enough I found him still searching the parking lot.  I held up the key as I approached him, and the relief he felt was visible.  I told him the story, and he told me his.  He told me that he was praying that we would find this key.  He said he prayed. “God, you didn’t have me help this man for nothing”.  I embraced this stranger and thanked him deeply for his help.  I found the key, and found that this old world does have some good people around.