NEWS: A Heart-Warming Tale: (I'm Not Being Sarcastic)

CULTURE: A Heart-Warming Tale: (I'm Not Being Sarcastic)

Unlike Sherri Shepherd and her archaic beliefs, this old woman's understanding of God is something I can get behind.

92-year-old Pauline Jacobi talked herself out of an armed robbery, warning her would-be-attacker that "Jesus is in this car."

The story could end there and I'd be impressed. I love ballsy old ladies standing up to silly, young muggers. Don't prey on the elderly. They know a thing or two about survival.

Sweet, little, old-lady Pauline was steadfast in her belief that the minute she dies she's going to heaven. She warned the dude robbing her that he would go to Hell. (Isn't it somehow not as maddening when a little old lady says something like that and not a presidential candidate?)

As inane as it sounds to picture heaven, hell and Jesus in a car it's really powerful to imagine that just living your life with love might actually have an effect on those around you and keep you calm in a life and death situation. Isn't that all we can ask for in this life? (Besides a mini-mansion.)

This reminds me of a story that I saw Maya Angelou tell Dave Chappelle on an episode of the Sundance Channel show Iconoclasts.

Maya was on set of the movie Poetic Justice and saw Tupac Shakur acting like a tough guy and flipping out. She went up to him and put her hands on his face and said something to the effect of, "Do you know how special you are? Do you know? Your ancestors came over here in their own vomit and now you're a successful free man. Do you know how special you are?" Tupac started to cry and then went to call his mom.

Maya Angelou had no idea who he was (and really didn’t care) and Janet Jackson came running over and told Angelou, "No one has ever talked to Tupac that way!"

I'll say it again. I love old ladies with conviction and with so much love they don’t even acknowledge violence and anger. They look right through it.

Oh, by the way. The guy with the gun that got away? His name is Ricky. And the Dyer County Police are looking for him. So, if you see a guy walking around crying, praying, holding $10 in one hand and a gun in the other call (731) 285-TIPS.

SleepyLady believes that Ricky has probably robbed dozens of old ladies since this event but she appreciates Ms. Jacobi's efforts at trying to help him.

"When I told him I was going to give him the money, I said, 'Don't you go spend it on whiskey either,'" Jacobi said.

If you're going to spend it on anything alcoholic, at least culture your ass with some red sangiovese wine. But God help you if you spend it in on whiskey, no one likes a guy that mugs women and drink whiskey.

Having imaginary friends makes time pass better.

Where's the sarcasm in this article? Did it just go over my head?

I totally agree with your love of cute old ladies with conviction. I hope when I'm old, I'm that rad.

Poor Pauline is a sucka. And Ricky is a fucking genius. Accomplished exactly what he set out to do. I've used that trick on at least a dozen little, old ladies. Works every time.

Aww, I loved this article.

That guy sounds like he's probably severely mentally deficient. If not, then extremely pathetic.

As sweet as she may be, I really wish that at 92 she'd decide to stop driving.

Awesome.

Organized religion has been responsible for a lot of really bad stuff in the world ever since the dawn of civilization, but that doesn't change the fact that personal religious belief can be a positive thing in people's lives. Anything that encourages people to look within themselves and try to do the right thing is positive - it's only when it bleeds over into some people trying to control the lives of others that religion becomes a problem for me...

Though I don't agree religiously, seemed like this guy was desperate and just needed to know someone cared. Either way, I agree, you've gotta love an old lady with balls despite her beliefs.

This is nice

Sorta nice to know that in a world completely crazy, there's some shafts of light...

Riiiiiight... because all old people are blind and/or not responsible enough to operate heavy machinery.

I'm genuinely more afraid of inexperienced drivers than I am of somebody who has about 75 years experience, obviously still has her wits about her, and (judging by her glasses) has pretty decent eyesight.

Just because you're old doesn't mean you're retarded. Just because you're prejudiced... well, that probably does mean you're retarded.

You can't assail an assumptive statement with an even bigger assumptive statement. Besides, the elderly really do have slower reaction times and the tendency toward physical and mental degenerative conditions that do, actually, in reality, make them more dangerous drivers than younger people.

Well, the process of belief begins when one is weak...

But now I feel like I quoting Bad Religion lyrics.

Yeah, or maybe someone really really down on his luck and desperate enough to car jack an old lady.

I'm sure most people who car jack are "bad people" to the point where something like that wouldn't phase them, but I'm sure there are a few who have enough "good" inside them to be brought to tears when something unexpected like that happens.

This is exactly why, although I'm an Atheist, I'm not a raving anti-religious nut like some Atheists. A prime example of someone who talks the talk but also walks the walk when it comes to her religious convictions. My hat is off to you little old lady.

Sleepy,
your article made me cry a little. Or maybe it was Tupac calling his mom. Either way, that story was loaded with cuteness.
kudos

I am not assuming he is being prejudiced - I know he is being prejudiced. If I want to be a bigger ass, I can certainly do that - so if by "you can't" you mean "it invalidates your point," then I would agree with you. However, I didn't make any assumptions.

Never once did I say that physical and mental changes that usually occur with age do not affect your ability to drive, I said that someone's age, alone, is not a good indicator of driving ability. Age affects everyone differently, and to completely skip over her actions - which say quite a lot about her reaction time - to make a negative generalization about her is just crass.

Oh, and just a quick look here and here (both .pdf) actually shows that people ages 16-25 account for more accidents and have a higher percentage of people within their age group that are involved in accidents than people in the 75 and older age group. Now, who's making assumptions?

This article isn't even about her driving ability - it is about her tenacity and the fact that she was willing to stand up for herself, as well as help this guy out. This is the kind of good news I want to hear about, dammit, so quit pissing on my parade.

I'm not sure why you feel the need to troll the boards looking for controversy, but I'll have none of that shit. Pauline is twice the man you are, and probably drives better, too.

You totally said she sees fine because she's got big glasses. If thats not assumptive then please share your insight into this matter. It's pretty miraculous you can tell from the size of her glasses that she has fine vision.

Let me tell you something. My gram has big glasses too. They're the same big glasses she's had for 25 years. She doesn't see fine. She's got Alzheimer's and forgot to get her prescription updated.

i like that story.

and that Angelou/Chappelle episode of Iconoclasts was awesome. Dave was on his best behavior that day. That show in general rocks.

Sweet old religious ladies stopped looking so sweet after the fifth time I saw one screaming at terrified young girls going into the abortion clinic by my house.

Cute story, though.

Actually, I meant that her glasses looked fairly small... meaning her prescription is likely not that strong. Geez, people, can't give an old lady some props?? Just because your granny can't see worth a shit and has a sad, degenerative (and genetic - get tested!) disease, doesn't mean that Pauline, here, has the same problems. Also, I know quite a few people who wear glasses AND drive, regardless of age. Holy shit! Take away their licenses, they obviously can't see!

C'mon, now - I was defending this rad lady against somebody's shitty remark, and now I gotta defend myself against you guys? No wonder there's no good news! Apparently people can't fucking handle it.

Don't be hatin' on Pauline. She'll sic Jesus on you. He's in her car, you know. Probably helps her drive, too; sits in the back and keeps an eye out for pedestrians, since she's so old she can't see and all. Jesus is cool, like that.

So why don't you let up on her, okay? And visit your gram... she's going through some tough shit, right now, and it'll do you good to spend some time with her. Could be you in a few decades, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Alzheimer's is a terrible thing for anyone to have to go through or witness.

Yeah, I've met a whole lot of super religious old ladies that were huge bigots.

Casual racism from old people is at the same time horrifying and hilarious.