Jaylesya Corbett, a dedicated worker at a restaurant, commuted to work daily on foot. She walked about six miles and always made it to her workplace in time. One morning, things were a little different while she was walking to her work, just following her daily routine. She noticed a police car that was trailed behind her and she was alarmed when one of the officers walked up to her and told her to get into the patrol car. Little did she know, this was going to be life-altering for her! What followed after the meeting, was totally unexpected.
A Morning Routine
That morning was no different for Jaylesya Corbett as she was following her daily routine and trying to make it to her shift in time. While on the way, Jaylesya noticed a police patrol car that was slowly following her. For a woman walking down the street alone, this raises concern and she started having thoughts trying to understand the situation. She knew she had done nothing wrong, but she felt alarmed while the car was flashing its red and blue emergency lights.
Anticipated Delay
Jaylesya was tight on schedule and she did not have much time to waste, so she kept on walking but her concerns grew. What could it be, if the police is on her trail? Was she going to be arrested? With all these thoughts in her head, she kept on walking but didn’t allow her fear to be displayed externally. She thought this confidence might take the police car’s driver’s attention away from her. But when she continued her steps, she heard the car honking at her.
A Good Citizen
Jaylesya’s stress level peaked as the car honked for her attention and wanted her to stop walking. She tried to remember if there was anything at her work, her home, or her neighborhood that could interest the police officers to stop her. After a quick rewind of almost everything that happened around her, she could not think of anything unusual. She always had a positive outlook and approach, while being a low-key neighbor and colleague. So what could be the reason for which police interrupted her daily routine?
Familiar Stranger
Sgt. Scott Bass was driving that police car and Stone Gate Mobile Home Community was a part of his morning route to the Nash County Sheriff’s Office. This morning, while Sgt. Bass was driving to work, he looked out of the car window and found a familiar face walking down the street. Sgt. Bass had seen her going down the same way quite often. Any other morning, he would not have paid much attention, but this time, he decided to approach this familiar stranger.
An Opportunity
The last time when Sgt. Bass saw this woman walking down the street in that area, he made it his mission to find this woman and settle some issues with her. Today it seemed like a perfect opportunity to do that, as he has been trying to spot her again for a few days now. He was quite determined not to let this chance pass by; he wasn’t sure when would catch a break with her if he didn’t act right then.
Six Miles Walk
Jaylesya’s workplace was nearly six miles away from her home. She worked at Bojangles and used to walk via the same route to the restaurant daily. It wasn’t a short walk to be tried before a long shift demanding a lot of energy, but for her, that’s how her day started. It was a long walk, but still, it was a feasible one. One factor for that was the local weather of that area. It was pleasant, thus six miles long trek through the city was a bit workable.
Situation Worsened
Though the local weather was pleasant for the most part of the year, that morning it started acting out. Jaylesya could sense a serious rainstorm around the corner. She made sure to pick up an umbrella, but the storm had other plans for her. The umbrella soon went out of control, and the next moment it flew away, exposing her to lashing rain and growling wind. The situation was pretty dire already, but when Jayleysa noticed the police car on her trail, wanting her to stop, it worsened.
Difficulties In The Routine
Jayleysa’s day started with this six-mile-long walk, followed by a long shift at the restaurant. After clocking out, she would walk the entire six miles back home again. Today, things weren’t as smooth as usual and the same distance which would normally be a workable trek was an obstacle. But this lady was determined to reach for her shift on time. She kept on walking and didn’t let the rainstorm slow her down. But something else became unavoidable for her during this walk.
Walking In The Rain Storm
This dedicated woman knew that she was going to make it to work despite the storm. However, when the police car stopped by and the officer driving it was looking right at her, she was worried that she might get detained and not reach her work at the right time. She knew how important it was for her to make it to work on time, doesn’t matter how difficult it was becoming with every step. She could not surrender to the panicky situation just yet.
Motivation To Keep Going
Jayleysa wanted to keep providing for her family and such small hindrances weren’t likely to make her late for work. She was serious about her job. She would walk twelve miles in total daily, and as a part of the job in the restaurant, she spent her entire shift on her feet. All this strong woman cared for, was to continue supporting her children and do whatever it took to keep their life going with all she could provide. But this particular day, she didn’t know how to face the challenge.
Unwavering Dedication
Although this woman’s dedication was unwavering, she was suddenly concerned about why a police car was trying to stop her. She wondered if walking on that side of the road was an issue for the officer, or if she was somehow obstructing the traffic. As she walked on the same route daily, she doubted if some of the drivers who have seen her walking on that side of the road regularly, have reported her and caused police to approach. Her concerns kept growing.
Making The Decision
Jaylesya was fully aware that she couldn’t ignore the honking police car signaling her to stop. She knew she would have to eventually stop. She continued walking for a little longer until she felt that it won’t be right to ignore the officer. Walking away was more nerve-wracking than dealing with the cop. Finally, she slowed down and stopped gradually. She stood by the roadside and waited for the police officer to reach her.
Worst Case Scenario
It only sounded reasonable that she waited by the roadside until the police officer reached her. She knew that it would be foolish to outrun a police car on foot. She was clearly stressed and her thoughts were weaving horrific stories. Was she going to get detained? How would she be able to support the family if she ended up in jail? She was getting ready for the worst-case scenario.
Who Will Speak First?
Jaylesya did not let her nervousness be evident to the officer. She was trying to look as calm as she could while she walked towards the officer sitting in Nash County’s police patrol car. She even prepared some first few sentences in her head in order to present her case and defend her choice of walking on that side of the busy road. She was ready to speak any moment. However, before she could utter a word of her loosely prepared statement, the officer started speaking.
Introduction And First Encounter
Finally, Jaylesya reached the window of the patrol car to talk to the officer. The officer sitting inside introduced himself as Sgt. Bass, and politely requested the lady to enter the vehicle. Jaylesya was running late for work and she tried to convey the same to the officer, but he did not seem to change his mind. She had no choice but to obey the command of the cop. She needed some time to wrap her head around this.
Hopeless And Quiet
Jaylesya found herself in the middle of a hopeless situation where there was not much she could do. She chose to stay silent over trying to probe the officer with questions. Even the officer did not say a word about the ongoing scenario. Her mind was diving into frightening thoughts again, and out of control. She imagined the consequences of the turn of this event on her family and future. She wasn’t even sure where Sgt. Bass was taking her, but it surely did not seem like a pleasant road trip.
Raging Storm And Rising Anxiety
Though the car was driven smoothly by Sgt. Bass, the intense downpour of rain slowed its pace. The silence in the car was deafening for Jaylesya as her anxiety was kicking up beyond the peak levels. She kept reminding herself that she was a law-abiding citizen and had done nothing illegal. She did not even offer any incriminating comments and was an innocent person in general. Now, only the destination would answer her questions.
Protected By Rights
It was a nail-biting ride in the back of the police car and Jaylesya was confident in her decision to comply with Sgt. Bass’s request. But soon her confidence started wavering and it seemed evident now. Jaylesya was not naive though, she knew her rights clearly. With these thoughts of her rights and with a hope to not escalate the predicament, she thought of keeping her emotions to herself until she reaches Sheriff’s office.
Outrage
Jaylesya knew that in case of arrest, the person has to be informed about the grounds of their detention. If it was not an arrest, under what pretense did the officer order her to jump into the back seat of the police car? This thought was causing outrage in her head. She was about to share her discontent with the Sgt. when her train of thoughts halted and she saw outside the window. She was right outside Bojangles, the restaurant where she worked! What could this mean?
A Wrong Impression
Arriving at one’s workplace in a police car can certainly raise many eyebrows. She, too, was concerned about how it might look like she had been arrested by Sgt. Bass. She was afraid of giving out a wrong impression on her boss and colleagues. Moreover, she could lose her job and she was the only provider for her family and kids. It could no way end in her favor. Things did not look good to her but fate had another thing planned.
Bravery Of A Stranger
Sgt. Bass noticed Jaylesya several times while she walked to work via the same route, which made her a familiar character to Officer Bass. He almost knew her schedule well and from her work apron, Sgt. Bass could figure out that she walks to work daily. Officer Bass acknowledged her dedication while she walked six miles each way. He admired her bravery and could not resist helping her once he noticed her struggling with the rainstorm.
Could Not Cast A Blind Eye
Sgt. Bass could feel the hard routine of this brave working woman and he wanted to help her out. The Sgt. thought if he could find driving around in a patrol car tiring, what would be the level of exhaustion of that lady, who was not supposed to sit during her shift after walking six miles? Jaylesya was impressed and genuinely touched by the act of kindness of this police officer. Sgt. Bass just tried to offer her some help out of respect.
An Epitome Of Empathy
Since Sgt. Bass could empathize with Jaylesya. He also told his wife about this courageous woman and her long journey on foot to and from work. This kind couple started thinking ways in which they could ease a little bit of the struggle that Jaylesya faced daily. The intention was to help her in any way possible, and finally, they chose to offer her a lift to work. This could help in cutting down her time to commute and relieve her of the unnecessary stress.
When Worst Turned Out To Be Best
When Jaylesya found that Sgt. Bass has stopped the police car right outsides Bojangles, she fathomed the reason and her fears flew away. A sudden gush of relief made her re-evaluate the whole situation. It was not because she committed some crime, but out of kindness and intent to help, that the officer told her to jump into the car. This officer cut down her difficulties significantly on that stormy day and it was turning out to be a better day than she expected.
A Selfless Offer
Officer Bass did not intend his generosity to be just a one-day phenomenon. He suggested that he drives to the Sheriff’s Office on the same route daily, so maybe Jaylesya could tag along every time the weather is not on her side. He also promised that he was not going out of his way at all to extend a helping hand to her. However, he did not yet reveal his admiration for Jaylesya’s character and bravery. The story did not end just here.
Public Service
Deputy Sheriff Bass cultivated high esteem for Jaylesya, as he understood that she was fighting bravely to make the ends meet. Being the sole provider, she proudly walked the 12-mile road to work and home every single day. As a police officer, he really appreciated Jaylesya’s determined routine, causing him to exceed his job description. He put forward the offer to help her reach work and even felt that there could be more ways to help her. But Jaylesya, an independent and strong lady, wasn’t sure about this.
An Unforeseen Invite
A few days later, Jaylesya received a phone call from Deputy Bass, inviting her to the Sheriff’s Office. This time, it did not cause her any anxiety as she knew the intention of Sgt. Bass very well; she found it nonetheless unnerving. Upon reaching the Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Bass accompanied her to the parking lot, where a brand-new Schwinn Fairhaven Women’s Cruiser bicycle was waiting for her. Astonishment hit her when she was told that the bike was a gift for her.
Kindness Is A Virtue
Before Jaylesya left for Sheriff’s Office, she was still a little anxious because an invitation to the Sheriff’s Office is quite rare and when can a visit to a police station be presumed to be joyous? When she received that brand new bicycle as a gift, it turned out to be quite a moment for her, emotionally. She felt the handlebars in her tight grip, clearly moved by the gesture. Sometimes, small gestures could improve someone’s life and faith in kindness at so many levels, that one can’t even begin to contemplate
Walmart Accepted The Appeal
Once Sgt. Bass realized Jaylesya’s situation and struggle, he wanted to help her in a more meaningful way. He wanted to ease a little struggle of her while she runs around the clock to provide for her family solely. Eager to help, he kept on looking for solutions. In an interview, Offer Bass said, “I contacted Walmart in Nashville and I spoke to some of the managers there. I showed them the bicycle, in particular, I had been looking at and they donated it to this young lady's cause.”
A Well-Deserved Gift
The best part of Sgt. Bass’s approach to helping her was that he did not put down this hard-working lady’s self-esteem. He made her realize that this is her well-earned gift and not a charity. It was so not a charity case, but a little compliment to her hard work and her ethical standing. It was not out of pity; rather it was a kind of ‘thank you’ gift for inspiring him to find a deeper meaning of his duty as a Deputy Sheriff as well.
Kindness And Generosity
Sgt. Bass’s colleagues were also aware of his history with this brave lady and thus, they agreed to be a part of this by recording her reactions on camera, when she received her generous gift. It was the second time these two familiar strangers were meeting up. The other deputies in the Sheriff’s Office uploaded this recording on their social media page and the story gained a lot of popularity and applause for an act of kindness. The generosity of Deputy Sheriff Bass was celebrated by his colleagues too on social media.
“God Gave Us Legs”
The online popularity of this story attracted the attention of local TV networks and newspapers too. They were invited to give media interviews where Jaylesya happily told them their story. "If you want to work, you'll find your way to work," she said. "God gave us legs —— that's one way of transportation!" Her words carried immense inspiration every time she revealed her story.
Meaningful Contributions
Deputy Sheriff Bass was committed to his mission statement: serve and protect. He realized that Jaylesya’s case did not fall under his jurisdiction, but he could not ignore the opportunity to offer Jaylesya a well-earned gift. Though technically, if he had chosen not to do anything beyond giving Jaylesya a lift on that stormy day, he would have still been considered a generous and kind officer, at least in the eyes of Jaylesya. As an officer, he used his resources to help a law-abiding and hardworking citizen in a meaningful way.
Love Conquers All
Being a single mother and sole provider for the family is not a walk on roses, but a back-breaking routine. But being a mother, Jaylesya was ready to any lengths and jump over every obstacle that came her way to keep supporting her loved ones. Even after so much hustle, the least she deserved was to cut her commute time down and make it easy for her to go to work daily. She was supporting her family, but she never asked for support or sympathy from anyone.
Acknowledging The Dedication
It wasn’t just any other gift, but for Jaylesya, it was a meaningful improvement in her daily commute. The bicycle was a special gift, it was a reminder that kindness still exists and that others took notice of her actions. It restored her faith in goodness and kindness, she never felt this honored for the hard work she was doing to provide for her family.
Why She Worked So Far Away?
An intriguing question that arose in one of her interviews was that why did she choose to work that far away from her home. Jaylesya explained how her actual intention was to apply for work at the branch of Bojangles restaurant that was nearby her home. However, mistakenly, she got in contact with the farther branch instead, and when they offered to hire her, she decided to grab the opportunity. Her decision to work at a faraway restaurant earned her a gift of a lifetime as she met such a kind stranger, Sgt. Bass.
