Lost in a Sea of Silver Saturns

I recently took what I thought would be a quick trip to the store and on the way in noticed a woman standing in the Capitola Mall parking lot with her shopping bag. Twenty minutes later, on my way out, the woman was in the same place, visibly vulnerable, even distraught.

I know, I know. I'm too trusting. I shouldn't talk to strangers. But I recognized that look. She could be waiting for someone to pick her up. More likely, she'd lost her car in the parking lot.

I asked her if she needed some help, and she burst into tears. Sure enough. She was scared. She couldn't find her silver Saturn. She told me her name and insisted that she didn't have Alzheimer's. But yes, she needed help.

I took her to my car, and we started to drive the rows, one after another. There were dozens of silver Saturns—isn’t everything a silver Saturn when you’re looking for one?—but none was hers. I began to wonder. What would I do if we couldn't find it? We got to the end of the rows on one side of the mall, but there were lots all around. How far had she walked? Was it possible she was just crazy?

After we got through the second lot, I decided to go down a row we'd gone down before and asked if she knew her license plate number? Yes, she did, down to the last number. And a minute later, there it was.

The woman was still shaking, so I parked nearby and we sat in my car and talked for a half hour. I learned about her life; she heard about mine. Turns out her birthday is the same year as my father’s and just two days later. We traded hugs and business cards, and when I got home, I Googled her and found out why her name was familiar. She's had an amazing career, but I won't embarrass her by identifying her.

She called me an "angel," which makes me smile and remember when my girlfriend and I got lost taking public transportation in San Francisco and found our own "Angel of the Muni."

I'm pretty sure my new friend from the mall won't remember promising to make me lunch at her house, but it's OK. She made my day.

Do you have any ideas of volunteer work or others ways to get involved in and around Capitola? I’m still looking for a way to make a difference in my new hometown. Please leave a comment!