What would you do for friendship?

Some days ago, I witnessed an unexpected sign of friendship among colleagues. A colleague of us told in the evening that she was sick, she had back pains and couldn't come to work the day after, nor working from home, because she couldn't even sit. It came out that she didn't have any medicament, painkiller or similar at home. A German colleague of us offered to bring her a good (and common) painkiller, as she just had the same problem a few days before. Even though it was late (9 pm), dark, and not quite warm, she jumped on her bike to bring some relief to a colleague, who a German would classify as "Bekannte" (acquaintance), not as "Freundin" (friend).

Not in A-minor, but after August Moll. Pharmacy in Vienna.

You might think that Germans are "cold", but when you are in need, they help! Many Italians, apparently much friendlier, promise to help, but find all kind of excuses, when you really ask them. Would have I done the same for this colleague, instead of criticizing her for not having painkillers at home or not running to a 24h pharmacy? We live in a big city, it would have not been a problem to get medicines, even delivered, also in the middle of the night. Honestly, for a good friend, yes, I'd have done it. For a colleague? Cannot say. Probably yes, if she specifically asked me to.

That's another point. If I was sick, would have I asked for help? I'm so proud that I tend not to ask. And not to accept the offered help. She had no problems accepting and I'm pretty sure that she'll find the way to return the favor, without urge, without feeling that she has debit. Last but not least, the noble colleague, the angel on bike, is lutheran, but not much active in the church. How many active catholics would have done the same? Religion as nothing to do in this case, it is a matter of "Erziehung", education, and humanity. A good lesson for all of us.