Yesterday was a bad weather day. I got to stay home and
write, but others weren't so lucky. When K left the house for work, she noticed
there was a flat tire on her truck. All right, I had nowhere to go in a hurry
so she took my car. Not such a big deal.
Ok, I know what you’re thinking, but there is no way in hell
I was going to change that tire myself. It was freezing rain outside and I
would be content to leave it there for days if necessary. However it wasn’t
necessary. K called roadside assistance she paid for it, she wants the service.
I love this modern world.
An hour or so later I get a call from the tow truck driver.
He was in the line-up to catch a ferry to the island. Yep, that’s right, no
roadside service folk on this small island. We wait for them to come over from
the city. As I waited, and the driver waited, it began to rain harder.
About two hours later it is raining buckets of freezing
pellets. I get a call from a frustrated man. “I’m on the island, where is your
street?”
“Do you have GPS?”
“Yes, but it isn’t showing up.”
“Never does. Look around, can you see a water tower?”
“Yes, it’s a long way off, but I can see it.”
“Head towards the tower, our street will be on the right
about half way.”
A few minutes later a giant tow truck pulls up. I wave at
him and he waves back, pulls up the hood on his rain gear and starts gathering
tools. The skies opened up. With a shiver I went to the coffee pot for a
re-fill. He was nearly finished when I grabbed the camera. The plan was a
picture of him changing the tire in the storm.
I just couldn’t do it. He looked so sad, like a half drowned
puppy. I offered coffee, but he declined, saying he had a thermos in the truck.
He climbed back into the vehicle and drove away. Ten minutes later the storm
eased off and a while later the rain stopped. I sneaked out for pictures.
The flat, now in the back of the truck.
The dirty donut the poor man had to install in the bitter cold rain.
So, for all you roadside assistance guys who have to rescue damsels in the worst of weather, a big thank you from us. You guys rock!
So, have any of you had adventures with roadside assistance?
A hard rain perhaps? A dark and stormy night?
Tell me. J
If you have the time, please check this out. I have posted a
chapter from my current WIP. It’s about vampires. I’d love some feedback. Find
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Posts
Nope...nothing like that, thank goodness! I'd be dying! But I have this problem with being cold. Seriously. I think I'm going to blog about it tomorrow. I'm cold unless it's at least 80, and I'm not joking. But there's nothing wrong with me apparently. I just get cold. :( I'm glad you guys are at least safe, despite the cold rain. That poor guy. I'm glad you didn't take a picture of him! I'm sure he was cursing his job as he changed your tire!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I felt for him alright. Poor guy.
ReplyDeleteNow about being cold. Start wearing wool and wool blend clothing, watch your world change. Or you can wait until your mid forties, I'll bet you start warming up then. tee hee
I would really like to say that I change my own tires, especially if they have to travel that far to change them and the cost, but alas I'd be hopeless and weak. I don't even have a mobile so I'd also be stuck somewhere lol.
ReplyDeleteFortunately for us, the cost was part of the package we bought with the truck. No further charge to us. whew!
DeleteLot's of tire changes in my travels, that's why I've been a Triple A member for so many years. Luckily no bad weather or sketchy places either.
ReplyDeleteDid that dirty donut of a tire hold up? It's a great photo for a caption contest.
Oh yeah, the donut will hold until we get the tire fixed and re-installed.
DeleteYeah, it would be a good pic for a contest. Thanks for the tip.
My husband had a flat in downtown Cincinnati at 4am, called Allstate, who we had for roadside assistance for years, got some guy in India who could barely speak English, who (DH thought) said he'd have someone right out. It was three hours and several calls later before someone showed up, and DHwas sitting there the whole time with our new puppy on the way home from Florida! I called Allstate the next day and cancelled, then signed up with AAA. Only have had to call them once but they were in the US and were there in a half hour. Your company is a keeper!
ReplyDeleteWow, that was a bummer. AT least I was at home with a friendly coffee pot.
DeleteMy husband's car quit while doing a toy run in Grapevine, TX. He called a tow truck, then called me at home to come get him. We lived in Arlington, at least 30 minutes away. When I got there, the guys were loading the car and DH got into my car. Apparently I was supposed to lead them to our place, but I wasn't supposed to use the freeway. Problem was I had no idea how to get back there using the side roads. After leading the poor guys around only God knows where for 15 minutes, DH asked if I knew where I was going. In the end, we got where we needed to and had a good laugh about it.
ReplyDeleteMy husband's car quit while doing a toy run in Grapevine, TX. He called a tow truck, then called me at home to come get him. We lived in Arlington, at least 30 minutes away. When I got there, the guys were loading the car and DH got into my car. Apparently I was supposed to lead them to our place, but I wasn't supposed to use the freeway. Problem was I had no idea how to get back there using the side roads. After leading the poor guys around only God knows where for 15 minutes, DH asked if I knew where I was going. In the end, we got where we needed to and had a good laugh about it.
ReplyDeleteI just love travelling the back roads, they all lead somewhere, but not always where you expect them to. :)
DeleteAre we ever thankful for these types of services!But to make it all the way out to you on an island. Unbelievable! Enjoy the warm of your indoor fire and stay dry Prudence. Burrr! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Karen, staying warm, staying dry, writing, blogging; life is good!
ReplyDeleteAAA all the way! In the last year I've had 4 flat tires--all nails. And I'm not anywhere near a construction area for that to make much sense. Just "lucky" I guess ;)
ReplyDeleteWow, four flats in one year. That's a bad run of luck. Glad the AAA guys have been good to you.
DeleteI had to put on chains for the first time at night. I was lucky enough that I could pull under an overhang that at least provided light, if not protection from the quickly falling snow. If I was smarter, I would have put them on in the comfort of the parking garage, but noooooo, I had to try the streets first. I figured I'd passed some sort of bizarre rite of passage.
ReplyDeleteYep, putting chains on out in the weather is definitely one of life's challenges. Good for you.
ReplyDeleteThat doesn’t sound like much fun Prudence. Sorry that happened. At least you were home. That was comforting. I have two flat tire stores. One was in the pitch dark driving up from San Diego on Christmas night. My tire tore apart and I was driving on the rim till I pulled off to the shoulder. I had to walk up along the freeway to the nearest phone. This was before cellphones. Remember those days? I called AAA and then called my boyfriend and told him everything that was going on around me at the abandoned gas station should I never be heard from again. LOL The second time I was driving up the 15 to Vegas. I had the trunk of my car crammed full of supplies for the fashion show I was directing later that week. When the tire blew and I pulled over to the side and unpack everything, laying it out along the road, just to get to the spare tire. Fun times.
ReplyDeleteHi Debra, yes my dear, I sure do remember the old days before cell phones. You also needed to carry a phone card. Yep, I had a few flats back then too. I like roadside assistance and cell phones.
ReplyDeleteThat couldn't have been fun with everything out on the side of the road.