Runs In The Family

My sister would quote what she called an ancient curse, "May you have an interesting life."  After Pete's "interesting" trip up here and the following traveling adventures, I had one of my own yesterday.  Needing to stock up at the feed store in the afternoon, Bessie and I went down to Mt. Aukum, tended to business and headed home.  On narrow, two-lane Omo Ranch Rd. about two miles in from the store, I heard a bumpity-thump sound.  It's not unusual to hear and feel thumps up here as there are numerous potholes, ruts, and patches on all South County roads, but this noise was "different."  Fortunately, there was a small space to pull off to the side and stop.  One, two, three tires were fine, and then there was the fourth, hanging in shreds on the rim.  I swear it was like a pit-stop in a NASCAR race.  Oh crum.

Now, there were some good things in this tale of woe.  The truck, albeit on a decided slant, was safely off the road.  There are many cellphone dead zones up here.  I had two bars and was able to call Triple-A.  It wasn't raining or snowing, although there was still hail in pockets on the ground because it was so cold.  The nice lady at AAA said it might be 45 minutes.  Piece of cake.  This was at 2:30.  I turned off everything (including the heater) but the emergency flashers and settled in to wait.  Bessie Anne curled up in her seat and went to sleep.  I commend the two trucks and a car that stopped to ask if I was okay and did I need help.  I have other words for those who flew by like bats out of hell, their draft shaking the truck in the wake.  While sitting there, I watched five deer amble across the road at one time or another and prayed they would get out of the way before another "bat" flew by.

The sun was dropping and the cold creeped in.  At two-and-a-quarter hours, I called back to AAA.  "The truck is in your vicinity and should be there shortly."  Esau showed up about fifteen minutes later.  Young guy, ex-Marine (I know, there's no such thing as an ex-Marine), with a big smile and reassuring words.  My hero!  Given the slant of the hill and the damp soil, it was no easy task to get the truck jacked up, the shreds pulled off and the spare installed, but he got-'r-done!  I'd noticed the blinkers going bonkers and asked Esau to wait while I tried to start the truck.  Turned the key.  Nothing.  He had one of those instant jump-start thingies and I was able to fire up the engine.  Another one of those "good things."  Dark enough to need headlights by then, Bess and I got home, left the truck running to hopefully boost the battery, and headed down to the barn and coop.

It was an interesting day, but it had a happy ending.