Pay it Forward..........

Well another exciting over night rendezvous with Kara. This time to transfer, not a little fur ball named Gracie, but Kara's personal things that would not fit into her new apartment. She was fortunate to have sub-let her old apartment for the last 2 months of the lease which has helped her financially, but it meant that she had to pack up and move out what she had been storing there. So we picked Saint George, Utah, as our meeting place and off we went!

I was 31 miles away from my Saint George exit, registering 1/4 tank of gas, sunny skies and Kara would be arriving not long after me...when my low gas light suddenly came on. I pushed the magic button which told me I could go 36 more miles on the fuel I had left - no problem. It would be close, that is for sure. Then the car just stopped. Stopped. I was in a terrible spot on the interstate. Just rounding a corner and blocked from the traffic coming up behind me by trees. There was a guard rail on the passenger side because of a deep ravine. Trapped on the one side by a guard rail and on the other side by huge semi's - coming like rapid fire bullets, one after another after another. And since they could not see me on the side of the road because of the trees, most did not have time to move to the other lane and so, therefore, were just inches from my car!

Now I had been a member of AAA for several years. When it was time to renew last year, Ron informed me that we had roadside assistance through our insurance, and so unless I was wanting the free maps and stuff I got with a AAA membership, our insurance would be all we needed. So, I did not renew AAA and so dialed up our Farm Bureau Roadside Assistance. What follows is an abbreviated version.............

Me: Hello, I'm traveling though Utah and my car just stopped. I could be out of gas or it might be an electrical problem, I don't know.
FBRA: Ok, Ma'am. Are you in a safe place?
Me: I'm in my car at the side of the road.
FBRA: Ok, Ma'am. Can I have your membership number and your location.
Me: Blah Blah on the membership stuff and on my location, my GPS tells me that I am 31 miles away from exit 6, heading south on interstate 15.
FBRA: OK, Ma'am, and what mile marker are you by?
Me: Well, I assume I'm near mile marker 36 since I had 31 miles to go until exit 6.
FBRA: OK, Ma'am, well, you need to tell me which mile post you are nearest.
ME: You can't figure it out with the GPS information I just told you?
FBRA: No, Ma'am. You need to see the mile post so we will know where to send a truck.
ME: I'm not near a mile post. I did not see the last one I passed. I am approximately 36 miles away from the Utah, Nevada state lines on I-15. Isn't that enough?
FBRA: No, Ma'am. We need to know the miles post. What are some attractions around you?
ME: Attractions? How should I know, I don't live in this state!
FBRA: Ok, Ma'am. Then I would suggest you call 911 and when the officer arrives, call us back and then the officer will be able to tell us where you are so we can send a truck.
ME: You have GOT to be kidding me! I am NOT calling 911 - I am 36 miles from the border! I will get OUT of my car and WALK until I find a mile post and then call you back!
FBRA: Ok, Ma'am.

So I wait a few minutes for the semi's to thin but when they do not I have a BRAIN STORM and call roadside assistance once again.

ME: Yes, I just called and talked to someone there. I am stranded in my car at the side of the road approximately 36 miles North of the Utah/Nevada border and need a tow truck sent.
FBRA: Yes, Ma'am. And what is the mile post you are near?
Me: I am uncertain of the mile post but I have THE EXACT COORDINATES of where I am on my GPS. Let me give them to you. (and so I do.)
FBRA: Now how do you read that? I think we probably have a program that would tell me but I'm not sure - what attractions are you near? Can you see a mile post?
ME: FORGET IT - I am going to get out of my car in this HEAVY semi truck traffic and walk along the side of this interstate, putting myself in danger, so I can find you a mile post!

I hang up.

And so, that is what I do. I get out of the car and start my trek up the road to find a mile post. That is when Rick pulled up along side me. .................

Rick: Howdy, Ma'am, can I give you a hand?
Me: Well, I was just walking to find a mile marker - my roadside assistance needs to know where I am so they can send a truck for my car. I don't know if I've run out of gas or what.
Rick: Thats exit 36 right up the hill. Can I take you to get some gas? Or if you would prefer I could go get some and you can wait safely inside your car until I return.

I looked back at the Yukon remembering how scary it was sitting in it when the semi's flew past and I looked at Rick and just somehow knew the best place to be was with him, so I hopped in his car and off we went to get gas. We rode up to exit 36 and had to cross over and back track back to the closest gas station. Rick did not have a gas can and so bought one and he filled it up with gas and paid for it all. He refused to take any money from me. So we went back to the Yukon and attempted to put the gas in the tank.

Rick: Now you stand back away from the road, ma'am, if those semi's get too close, at least I have insurance! Shit Damn! Those trucks are too Close!! Sorry, ma'am, about the language, just the cowboy in me. I sure do apologize for the language, though. SHIT DAMN- sorry, ma'am.

So I stood next to the white line and tried to "shoo" the cars and trucks over to the other lane. Sometimes it would work and sometime there would be a SHiT DAMN, sorry about that, ma'am!

It didn't help. The car still would not start. So Rick drove me into Saint George to the Hotel so I could meet up with Kara and I could call Roadside Assistance from there, knowing the "mile post" was 36. On our drive we talked horses, I told him about Dudley and he recited a poem to me that he had memorized about the love between a cowboy and his old horse. Then he talked about his Wyoming cattle ranch and the horses he has in Oklahoma. I learned his Hero was his Dad, who is now gone and that his mother still lives in Spanish Fork, Utah. He knows Pocatello well and likes the movie "Pay it Forward". We arrived at the Hotel just as Kara was getting out of her car. Rick asked me to call Roadside assistance while he was still there so he would know that we girls would be taken care of. He offered to get a tow truck for us if need be.


ME: Hello, yes I called awhile ago needing assistance and I still need to get a tow truck for my car.
FBRA: Yes, Ma'am. And where is your car now?
ME: It's at mile post 36 on interstate 15.
FBRA: OK, and may I have your account information? And what town did you say you are near?
ME: I'm in Saint George now. My car is at mile marker 36 on 1-15.
FBRA: OK, and how do you spell that?
ME: S-A-I-N-T G-E-O-R-G-E
FBRA: OK - and what is the zip code there?
(I give her the zip code of the hotel)
FBRA: OK - and what is the zip code of the location of your car?
ME: Are you kidding me? I'm at mile post 36 on I-15 - I don't know the zip code!
FBRA: Well then how am I supposed to know the closet town near your vehicle? I can't even find a Saint George in Idaho.
ME: I'm in UTAH!
FBRA: Oh, that might make a difference! Now what was the zip code of where your vehicle is?

(Rick is hearing my exchange and actually knows what the zip code is! I tell her)

FBRA: Ok, Ma'am, I'll locate a tow truck and call you back with the details.

While I was dealing with FBRA, Kara and Rick were talking. It seems Rick cleans up enviramental waste. It is that job that gives him the money for his "hobbies" of raising cattle and horses. He has a 8,800 acre cattle ranch in Wyoming - he has a horse ranch in Oklahoma, his home in Saint George and another in Rio D'Jinero. He had told me that he was flying into Houston the following day because his horse trainer was bringing one of Rick's horses there, a Palamino, for a show and if he placed well he would be worth $150,000. I laughed and told him Dudley had cost me $500.00 and was the best horse ever and then asked who on earth pays $150,000 for a cutting horse?!?! He said that kind of horse would sell to someone with lots of money and very little brains! Rick had been on the rodeo circuit for about 11 years. He was polite, low key, handsome and generous! He told Kara that he was restoring an original log cabin on his Wyoming ranch and was talking to her about designing the inside for him. He said that the fireplace should be completed this week and then they were capping off the plumbing for the winter. "You don't want to be there in the winter!" When he saw her bike on the back of her car he asked me if I had a bike rack to take the bike back to Pocatello. I told him we were planning on strapping it to the top of the Yukon. He offered to give me his bike rack that would fit right inside my trailer hitch! I thanked him, but said we would be fine. And then the FBRA called and said she had found a truck and the tow man would be at the car in 45 minutes. Rick gave me a business card with his number and said for us to call him for anything. He even offered to take us both to breakfast the next morning before we hit the road! We assured him we would be fine and thanked him over and over. He handed me the gas can and told me to hang on to it, just in case. So Kara and I filled the gas can back up again and off we went.

The tow truck arrived at the car before us. He called, twice actually, wanting to know if we'd be much longer. He had dealt with auto's located where my car was before and said it was twice as dangerous in the dark! Thats when I learned that Kara has decided her new favorite speed is 60 MPH. This from a girl who texts, inputs GPS positions and drives with her knees - all while going overly fast. I guess that has changed. When I asked her to step on it I was informed that it was pushing her outside of her comfort zone!! Isn't that funny!?!? We finally made it to the car and the tow man was standing on top of the flat bed - he said that way if a truck came around that corner and hit the Yukon - he would have the length of the flat bed tow truck - time wise - to dive into the ditch! He was VERY nervous and pointed out the dents in the railing where he had to pick up cars before.

We took the car to the GMC dealer lot. After it was unloaded from the truck, the driver put in the extra 2 gallons Kara and I had picked up on the way to the car, at mile post 36, on I-15, in Utah - just outside of S-A-I-N-T G-E-O-R-G-E. I guess 4 gallons was the trick - it started right up. After paying the tow man, Kara and I bee-lined it to a gas station!

Our day had not gone quite as we had planned but it was an adventure! We found one restaurant that was open after 10:00 PM and had a great dinner before turning in.

6:00 am and I am up. I know that we have quite a morning ahead of us and I want to be on the road home by noon. I start moving things from Kara's car to mine. Kara reluntantly gets up to help out. We break for a bit of continental breakfast and hotel coffee (GASP!) and then continue on. I was putting blankets on the roof of the Yukon, wondering HOW we were going to get her bike up on top, wishing I'd taken Rick up on his offer of the bike rack - Kara said "Are you calling him, Mother?" Of course, I would not. He had helped us out so much already! But just then a car comes around the corner and there he is.

Rick: Morning, Ladies. Sure is good to see your both alright. I couldn't stop thinking about you two all last night and wondering if you were OK or still stranded and I just about threw on some clothes and came looking for your cars in the Hotel lot! Could you use that bike rack now? - the darn thing is taking up room in my garage and I would sure be grateful to have it out of my way!

And so it was that we got a bike rack to carry the bike home and it was such a blessing! We followed Rick to his home and pulled into his drive. The garage door opened to a pristine, eat off the floor, clean garage. He put the rack on for us and we stood around talking for a spell. He told Kara his ideas for his Wyoming cabin and told her he would be getting in touch with her in the spring and would put her up in the ranch guest house while she did her designing for his cabin.

Then he told us the best way to find the hotel from his place - 3 lefts and one right - and then we'd be right near the hotel. We said our good byes and headed for our first left turn. Looking in the rear view mirror, I saw Rick behind us. Left turn #1, behind us - Left turn #2 - yep, still behind us - left turn #3 - still there - and then, when I turned right onto the interstate, I saw Rick take another left. He had stayed with us until he knew we were heading in the right direction.

Kara and I finished loading and with the bike rack it was so much easier! Then we pulled out our geo-caching papers and proceeded to find 5! We had a great lunch and headed our seperate ways about 3:00.

Do Angels really exist?
Of course they do, I have no doubt.
Do they have long flowing robes and Huge powerful wings?
Probably............. some of them.

But God sent MY angel to me......................in a clean white t-shirt and blue jeans.

And that I know for a fact.



Until next time..........................................I'm calling AAA