We all loaded into the van. As we turned onto the three lane highway en route to technical center, I started to hear a disturbing sound toward the rear right of the van. I was determined to press on hoping the tire would hold up until after I dropped Art off and returned to the service station.
When I started to smell burning rubber, I realized my hope wasn't going to float. I pulled off at the next exit and hobbled into the nearest PDQ convenience store.
I got out and looked at the shredded and smoldering rear right tire. I apologized to Art. He wasn't going to be on time for his class. I proceeded to try to find where the spare tire was at. I knew the jack was over the wheel well, but I couldn't find the tire compartment!
I went up to the glove box and took out the little instruction booklet that comes with the car. It was very cold. It was hard to turn the pages with my mittens on, and when I took the mittens off, it was still hard to turn the pages with frozen fingers. I managed to get to the "Emergency" chapter that talked about the spare tire. All it showed in the little pictures was the closed compartment that held the jack. The copy mentioned something about the spare tire, but neglected to actually say where it was located.
I was just starting to tear up when I heard a voice behind me say; "I hear you need some help changing your tire." I turned around to see a guy with salt and pepper hair and a nice smile. He was dressed in work clothes. He had jeans and work boots and a zip up jacket with a hoodie underneath. He said he was a truck driver and he had a little time between deliveries so he could help me get that spare on. His name was Rick. I wiped my frozen tears away and sniffled up the rest of them and got to work helping him however I could.
He knew right where the spare was located. It was under the van! He said we just needed to turn the little nut towards the back center of the interior cargo area and a cable would drop down, allowing us to dislodge the spare and pop it right on! Wow! was I impressed!
He picked up the little floor mat and placed it under the rear of the van. Then he crawled down and went under the van to dislodge the spare. But the spare wouldn't drop. Seems there's this stopper bar that keeps the tire up when the cable is retracted, and it was stuck. Rick wiggled it, yanked it, hit it with the jack, turned the nut back and forth; he tried everything.
I knew that time was going by. I didn't want Rick to get behind on his deliveries. I suggested we scrap the spare tire plan and just take the whole wheel off and take it over to Farm and Fleet which was just half way back down the road from where I came — about where I first started to hear the tire flopping around. If we could do that, I could somehow get to Farm and Fleet, drop the tire off, get it fixed, come back, put the wheel back on and we'd be on our merry way! Bob's you're uncle!
Rick got right to work. He had me put the van in a better position for jacking it up and then within a few minutes he had the wheel off. He said he'd be happy to give me a ride to Farm and Fleet with the wheel. He was so nice!
Rick took the wheel and loaded it in his tracker trailer while I informed Art and Simon what was going to happen. Art was a little agitated at this point; complaining that he would be dropping his class because getting a ride from me was just too undependable. I worried about making a scene in the store where these nice people were going to let me leave my disabled vehicle in their parking lot and my dysfunctional family in their candy aisle, so I quickly left to get in the cab of Rick's truck.
I climbed up the ladder into the cab and buckled myself in. We got to Farm and Fleet and Rick got the tire out of the trailer while I carefully climbed down out of the cab. It looked like the store was open but not the auto clinic. Seemed like a good sign. There was a lady standing in front of the door to the auto center that I figured was waiting for it to open. I assumed it wouldn't be long, because who would wait in this sub zero weather for a store to open. I asked her if she was waiting for the auto clinic and she said she was. I asked what time it opened and she said 8:30. Then I asked her if she knew the time and she took out her cell phone and said; "8:20."
I smiled at Rick as he gave me the wheel and I said; "I'm the luckiest unlucky person ever! We had a flat, but you helped me get the tire off and now we get to Farm and Fleet just before it opens so we can be second in line for help!" I thanked Rick profusely as he sauntered back over to his van. He had said he was glad he could help, but his pride was hurt a little because he wasn't able to get that spare out from under the van. I told him not to feel that way, he was such a great help and blessing to me, he should be proud.
As I waited in the doorway, I just barely had time to find out the woman in the doorway had come in to get a new battery in her car, when the attendant from the auto center came and opened the door for us. It wasn't 8:30 yet; they must have felt for us out in that cold. It was so nice of him.
We went in the store and did our respective business. I started to worry how I would get back to PDQ. I thought if worst came to worse I could always walk the 2 or so miles down the road to the store — maybe even hitch hike. I had called JJ several times to no avail. I was mostly worried about Art and Simon wearing out their welcome at the PDQ. There was nothing I could do though, so I decided to try to relax and wait for my tire to be fixed. I went in the waiting room and saw an unfinished crossword puzzle. I searched in vain for a writing utensil of some sort.
Finally I took the puzzle with me into the store and tried to find some for sale. I couldn't find any so I went to the service desk and they had one they let me use. Aaah! I could occupy my nervous mind with the puzzle now. That was a relief. On my way back to the waiting room the woman from the door came to me and said; "If your tire gets done around the same time my car gets done, I'll give you a ride back to the PDQ."
I gave her a big hug and asked her name. She said; "Regina."
I said; "Mine is Robin."
"Robin!" she said; "That's my daughter's name!"
That was such a nice thing. I was so happy. I had that all figured out. Now my mind raced on to Simon and Art. I was hearing the mechanics -- telling people the wait would be about an hour and a half. I just couldn't see my crazy family being cooped up at a PDQ for an hour and a half without some incident occurring. I decided to call my neighbor Phil. He is always very nice and happy to help. So I called him and he said he would put his boots on and go right out there and get them. Yay!
I sat in the waiting room and worked on the puzzle until I saw Regina come through the door. Her car was done, she was just going to go test it and she would be back. I peeked in the service area and saw one of the guys working on my tire. I was relieved to see that. I knew it wouldn't be long now!
The mechanic came up with my tire, I went and paid and hurried back to find Regina. I didn't want to keep her waiting as she was doing me such a gigantic favor. When I got to the door I saw her in a green mini van. I rolled the wheel with the new tire on it out to the van and we put it in and I hopped in the passenger side and we took off down the road to the PDQ.
When we got back to the PDQ I thanked Regina and gave her some big hugs and blessings. We agreed that God is good and she left my wheel and me in the parking lot. Even though it was so cold out, my heart was warmed by the kindness of the strangers that had helped me so much that morning.
There was a note tucked under the windshield wiper of the van. I plucked it out from under the wiper blade and read; "Got a ride from the church. -Art." So I knew they were safe. But what about neighbor Phil?
I quick rolled the tire over and put it back on the hub. I tightened down the bolts, started the van, and then ran into the store to see if they'd seen neighbor Phil.
They said that neighbor Phil had just come to get "me" and that he had left when they told him I had gone to Farm and Fleet. They said Art had called the church again and they had found someone to give him and Simon a ride to their respective schools. More saints!
Even though I felt bad for sending neighbor Phil on a wild goose chase, I was happy that Simon and Art were safe. I got in the van and drove toward home, checking the Farm and Fleet parking lot as I passed to make sure neighbor Phil wasn't there. I stopped at his house and apologized for the debacle and thanked him for being willing to help us. He is such a blessing.
So I went into my house, got my lunch and headed off to work. My van had a new tire and I was weirdly happy about my crazy morning. Maybe most people would have been upset about all the problems. After all, I was 2 hours late for work, and I had to pay a bunch of money for a new tire. But I couldn't help but see the blessings of all the saints that came marching in to help us in a time of need. What a testament to God's love they are. I am so thankful for them.
