When life flattens you...
This is life. Timing hits you square in the face. Even if you aren't ready for it. Or it's not convenient.
So today while I am driving home from Owensboro, something happened to me that has never happened before....I got a flat tire. I know...not a huge deal. However, I was already running late for work since I had to meet with a professor after class and I was exactly between Owensboro and Bowling Green on the Natcher. If you don't know the Natcher it is 63 miles of nothing. I was stuck 30 minutes into the drive. Smack dab in the middle. I think there is one exit where you can stop to get gas or food...the rest are just exits to other roads. So here I am rolling along and I hit something. My car lurches over it. Suddenly, the LOW TIRE PRESSURE light comes on in my car. I pull over. I cautiously get out to see what happened (all the while praying it's nothing huge) and I hear air rushing out of my back left tire. Fabulous.
So trying to be the resourceful woman that I am. I get out my spare tire, lug wrench, and car jack. I think, "I can do this." I don't want to be one of those women who can't figure out a spare tire. I'm not going to let this beat me. I have to get to work. I'm in the middle of no where. Okay, here we go. So I look at the step-by-step guide to changing a tire that came with the spare tire in my car.
Step one: Pull over. Put on parking break and hazard lights.
Done.
Step two: Put blocks in tire diagonal to the flat.
Okay....I don't have blocks...surely it's not that important...I skip that step.
Step Three: Loosen bolts with lug wrench. (There is also a little diagram about which way to turn the wrench)
I can do this. I remember doing this in Mr. Kinsey's drivers ed class....six years ago. I loosened one of these....I can do this. Okay ready go. PPPUUUULLLLLLLLLLLLLL. Nothing. PPPUUUUUUSSSSSHHHHHHHHH. Nothing. Hmm...what now....Try again....and again...and again.
Finally I sigh and get out my phone. I have 15.6 minutes left. Awesome. I call Patrick (who is in Pennsylvania) and it goes to voicemail. Okay...I call my dad (who is in IL which is not that helpful but hopefully he can help me look up some phone numbers) and it goes to voicemail. Awesome, I have exhausted my useful contacts. I know there are people I can call in Owensboro or Bowling Green who would help me. The problem is....I don't have any of their numbers programed into my new phone. Sigh. Okay, no big deal. I will just wait. I have a book and it is a nice day. Surely one of them will call me back soon. Or maybe someone will stop and ask if I need help. I would really like that. Several cars pass without even slowing down, so I give up on that idea. Meanwhile, I search my billfold for phone numbers written on scraps of paper. I know I have someone-from-Owensboro's phone number written somewhere.
BUZZZ. Yes! Finally. Patrick calls. I try not to cry because I am that helpless woman sitting on the side of the road that can't change a tire. Pathetic. I explain everything to him and my knight in shining armor begins to call people in Owensboro. Always my hero, he also calls work to explain that I will be late. I prepare myself for an hour of waiting with my Kindle.
Then something amazing happens. I see a truck pull off the side of the road and begin to back up towards me. For a moment I hesitate because I watch way to many criminal investigative shows. Then I reassure myself because it's broad daylight, I have pepper spray and chances are he wants to help. Sweet! He sees the spare tire laying on the ground and assumes I have a flat tire. Correct assumption. He kindly jacks my car up (with a very fancy jack I might add) and replaces my tire. I was so grateful and relieved. He gives me some advice about the tire and sends me on my way. (I told Patrick so he wouldn't ask anyone from Oboro to come help me.) He then proceeds to follow me going 45 mph (on a 70 mph road) for at least 20 minutes to make sure I am okay. This man when above and beyond the call of duty to help me that day. Not only did he walk with me one mile, but he walked with me two (Matt 5:41).
Good people still exist. I met one today. I knew they still did, but if you had doubts--here is some proof. I think he was actually on his way to help someone else when he saw me and took mercy on my situation.
I think I will learn to change my tire as soon as my husband is home. I don't want to be that woman again. Two hours and $100 later lesson learned (I had to replace the tire because of where the hole was located).
Life is unpredictable. Life is crazy. Life is a teacher. Life will sometimes give you a flat..then it will show you the light. The good. The air. Life is amazing.
So today while I am driving home from Owensboro, something happened to me that has never happened before....I got a flat tire. I know...not a huge deal. However, I was already running late for work since I had to meet with a professor after class and I was exactly between Owensboro and Bowling Green on the Natcher. If you don't know the Natcher it is 63 miles of nothing. I was stuck 30 minutes into the drive. Smack dab in the middle. I think there is one exit where you can stop to get gas or food...the rest are just exits to other roads. So here I am rolling along and I hit something. My car lurches over it. Suddenly, the LOW TIRE PRESSURE light comes on in my car. I pull over. I cautiously get out to see what happened (all the while praying it's nothing huge) and I hear air rushing out of my back left tire. Fabulous.
So trying to be the resourceful woman that I am. I get out my spare tire, lug wrench, and car jack. I think, "I can do this." I don't want to be one of those women who can't figure out a spare tire. I'm not going to let this beat me. I have to get to work. I'm in the middle of no where. Okay, here we go. So I look at the step-by-step guide to changing a tire that came with the spare tire in my car.
Step one: Pull over. Put on parking break and hazard lights.
Done.
Step two: Put blocks in tire diagonal to the flat.
Okay....I don't have blocks...surely it's not that important...I skip that step.
Step Three: Loosen bolts with lug wrench. (There is also a little diagram about which way to turn the wrench)
I can do this. I remember doing this in Mr. Kinsey's drivers ed class....six years ago. I loosened one of these....I can do this. Okay ready go. PPPUUUULLLLLLLLLLLLLL. Nothing. PPPUUUUUUSSSSSHHHHHHHHH. Nothing. Hmm...what now....Try again....and again...and again.
Finally I sigh and get out my phone. I have 15.6 minutes left. Awesome. I call Patrick (who is in Pennsylvania) and it goes to voicemail. Okay...I call my dad (who is in IL which is not that helpful but hopefully he can help me look up some phone numbers) and it goes to voicemail. Awesome, I have exhausted my useful contacts. I know there are people I can call in Owensboro or Bowling Green who would help me. The problem is....I don't have any of their numbers programed into my new phone. Sigh. Okay, no big deal. I will just wait. I have a book and it is a nice day. Surely one of them will call me back soon. Or maybe someone will stop and ask if I need help. I would really like that. Several cars pass without even slowing down, so I give up on that idea. Meanwhile, I search my billfold for phone numbers written on scraps of paper. I know I have someone-from-Owensboro's phone number written somewhere.
BUZZZ. Yes! Finally. Patrick calls. I try not to cry because I am that helpless woman sitting on the side of the road that can't change a tire. Pathetic. I explain everything to him and my knight in shining armor begins to call people in Owensboro. Always my hero, he also calls work to explain that I will be late. I prepare myself for an hour of waiting with my Kindle.
Then something amazing happens. I see a truck pull off the side of the road and begin to back up towards me. For a moment I hesitate because I watch way to many criminal investigative shows. Then I reassure myself because it's broad daylight, I have pepper spray and chances are he wants to help. Sweet! He sees the spare tire laying on the ground and assumes I have a flat tire. Correct assumption. He kindly jacks my car up (with a very fancy jack I might add) and replaces my tire. I was so grateful and relieved. He gives me some advice about the tire and sends me on my way. (I told Patrick so he wouldn't ask anyone from Oboro to come help me.) He then proceeds to follow me going 45 mph (on a 70 mph road) for at least 20 minutes to make sure I am okay. This man when above and beyond the call of duty to help me that day. Not only did he walk with me one mile, but he walked with me two (Matt 5:41).
Good people still exist. I met one today. I knew they still did, but if you had doubts--here is some proof. I think he was actually on his way to help someone else when he saw me and took mercy on my situation.
I think I will learn to change my tire as soon as my husband is home. I don't want to be that woman again. Two hours and $100 later lesson learned (I had to replace the tire because of where the hole was located).
Life is unpredictable. Life is crazy. Life is a teacher. Life will sometimes give you a flat..then it will show you the light. The good. The air. Life is amazing.
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