Would you be kind enough to let me combine these two days? I’ve been on the road, having already traveled 600 miles in the past 24 hours, with another 200 tomorrow morning. Okay? Thank you. I want to start a new segment called “Hero of the Week” and although intuitively I SHOULD maybe start on a Monday, I’m choosing to start with today, as this young man was SO kind, and I promised him he’d be the hero of my blog for today. So..... Hero of the Week goes to… (drumroll please) Daniel from Rough Rider Hotel in Medora!!!! May the heavens rain down eternal blessings upon you for your totally unselfish act of kindness today. Here’s the story:
I brought my suitcases out to the car this morning and noticed that my front left tire was half flat. As we drove out of town (after a VERY successful author signing by Dad), I mentioned it to him. We decided to stop by a gas station to use their air pump. But what if there was a nail in it? A slow leak? What if the nail flew out and caused the tire to go instantly flat? (Hey - don’t laugh - it happened to me in Montana a few years back). We filled it up with air, then called AAA. The nearest dispatch was Beach, 25 miles away, but the sweet operator was doing everything she could to get us help. We couldn’t figure out how to get the spare tire out of the back, which was filled with a billion pounds of books and luggage, Dad’s 87, and I was tired and a little overwhelmed. Okay, I might have cried just a touch to the lady at AAA, but can you blame me? I think not. I decided it was best not to try to drive on the interstate with the tire in an uncertain condition, so we went back to the hotel and asked Paulette (our new friend at the front desk) if she knew of anyone who could change a tire. There stood Daniel. I think I might have even seen a glimmer of gold emanating all around him. He said he changes an average of one tire a year, and he hadn’t changed one yet, so he was due for a change!
I think what impressed me the MOST (almost) was the way he figured out how to get the darn spare tire out from under the extra seat in the back. First he put in the metal thingamajig, then turned it with the other black twisty thingamabob, and that lowered the tired from underneath the car. The poor guy’s khaki pants were getting pretty dusty, and the lug (is that what it’s called?) wouldn’t come off one of the dealies on the tire, but he never complained. I was talking to AAA on the phone, then an old friend Mary saw me from across the street and came running over to say hi. Curious onlookers started gathering to see what was going on, most of them from the book signing Dad had just done. Our luggage and books were thrown all over the back of the car by the curb. Interesting. An old basketball buddy’s parents stopped by to give their advice, and it was a regular party, it was. Daniel slaved away, laying on a protector mat, putting on the spare tire. When he was done, I asked if I could give him a thank you hug, but really I could just pat his shoulder because he was sweaty and dirty, but I really WAS grateful for his help. I don’t know what we would’ve done without him.
That’s what I’m trying to say. I don’t believe in coincidences, so if I were to try to make sense of that afternoon I would say that first it was empowering to know how to get at the spare tire. Secondly, Dad said my tires were almost bald (with only 43,000 miles on them, but most of those highway), so I need to get 4 new tires - it could’ve been dangerous. And thirdly, to be able to ask for help and maybe always do a pre-flight check on all tires before you go on a trip. I found the nail in the tire. I have no idea how long it had been there, but I’m going to the tire store first thing Monday to get some new tires.
And most of all, I’m grateful to Daniel for taking time out of his day to change our spare tire for us. He didn’t have to do it, but was more than willing to help us, two complete strangers, out in a real pinch. I am constantly amazed at the kindness of not only people, but strangers. We kind of expect our friends and family to be kind to us, but when it’s total strangers, that’s even more impressive to me. So, thank you, Daniel, from the bottom of my heart, you have earned my first ever Hero of the Week Award. Thank you thank you thank you. You are very kind.