Thursday, May 01, 2008

Good Samaritan

So today I'm driving home from seminary and a guy yells something unintelligible at me as he passes me on the highway, and so I sigh and think, "Another flat?" (third one this year)(and I have 100 miles to go) and pull over and so: sure enough. So I get off at the next exit and drove a little way on what is, I quickly discover, yet another toll road, until I find a sign that tells me (1) what road I am on (2) what direction I am going (3) how far from an exit I am and (4) what town and routes will be waiting for me if I ever get there.

Yeah, pretty clueless, but, you know, I thought I needed to give AAA some idea of where I was, which as it turns out I didn't because when, information in hand, I called them up, the cell phone died in the middle of my attempt to get help, which involved two periods on hold and then the woman on the other end repeating every word that I said, even thought my first sentence had been, "Listen carefully; my phone's about to die so I'm giving you the details as quickly and completely as I can." So I didn't need the directions for AAA after all, because there wasn't gonna be any AAA.

A two-mile walk to the exit. Sigh. So I think maybe I can get some help, and get out and wave down the first car that came by. Hippie kinda guy with long gray hair in a white van. I explain that my phone died as I was calling AAA to get someone out to put the donut tire on and ask if I could borrow his cell phone. "I don't have a phone." No, of course you don't. "But I could change the tire for you."

"REALLY?"

Changing a tire is kinda like cooking for me. One of life's many great mysteries. (We are all so so lucky that absolutely nothing in this world depends upon my existence.)

As we walk back to my car, I allow myself to think for maybe a second that it's possible that something really really bad is about to to happen to me and no one will ever see me again, but there's not a lot I can do about it, so I am going to hope that this guy is as genuinely nice as he seems to be.

Which he is. Fifteen minutes later my car is driveable, and without a word he drives very slowly just ahead of me to the second exit, puts on his turn signal to let me know that this is the one I want, and then disappears up the highway.

Thanks, Doug! ~ Doug from somewhere in the boonies of the next state over.

10 comments:

Lisa :-] said...

In spite of what the media would have us believe, there are still one or two genuine nice people out there.

Who needs a !$#&*!! cel phone when you could have your faith in human nature restored instead?

Cynthia said...

Last year,when I was on the road constantly, I had six flat tires.I can change a tire, but let's face it, it's hard work, especially when you're in a business suit and heels. Only one did I have to change myself. One involved AAA to the rescue. The other four had strangers come to my aid. Yes Virginia, there really are good people out there. I'm glad noe found you.

Stratoz said...

I am so glad that Doug represented my demographic honorably... guys with grey and/or greying pony tails.

Lori said...

God bless Doug.

Jan said...

So glad Doug came along. It's nice to know goodness prevails. And I'm happy you could get back "home."

steve said...

Isn't it sad that my initial reaction when reading this story was that I was afraid this guy would try to rob you?

Thanks for this reminder of goodness in the world.

Lovie said...

"We are all so lucky that absolutely nothing in this world depends upon my existence." That, my friend, will go in my quote book. I got a chuckle for sure from that statement. I am glad that everything worked out for you.Leenora

Diane M. Roth said...

yes, thank goodness for Doug.

Anonymous said...

I disagree that nothing depends on your existence. A large web of family and friends would disagree too.

As for the tire changing, my father made me rotate his tires before I was allowed to take the car by myself. I have changed tires several times over the years and it was a useful skill to learn. With the advent of cell phones and $$$ for AAA, I don't often do it but I could.

Anonymous said...

It's a shame that we have to be so wary of strangers. I'm sure more are like Doug than the wackos the media focuses on.

I'm glad it all turned out well for you.