Tender Mercies

Last Saturday I took Max and Kate to get some shoes. We were headed to a consignment store about 7 miles away via freeway. I was cruising along, radio blaring, two happy kids strapped in the back seat when I heard a strange noise and then our truck came to an abrupt stop. In the middle of the freeway. No safety lane, next to a concrete barrier, on a curve where cars didn't have a clear view of me until they were coming around the bend, super close. Crap.

Not just crap but HOLY FREAK OUT!



Total blowout. I had no idea how bad it was since there was no way I could safely get out of my truck. All I knew was that I was stuck in 65+mph traffic in a very bad location. There was road construction that had merged everyone into two skinny lanes with zero wiggle room. And I was blocking one of them.

I turned on my hazard lights, frantically called Phil and tearfully told him of our predicament. He told me to call the cops and have someone help me out of the lane. I did and they redirected my call to DPS, took my info and I sat.

Tender Mercy #1: A construction worker drove his tractor over to us and asked what was going on. I told him of the situation and that help was coming. I thought that I couldn't drive in this condition and that we were going to have to sit there until help arrived. Meanwhile, another construction worker who was heading out for the day was making a beeline over to us. He told me to get the heck of the road (not really but pretty much) and that he wanted me to drive at a walking pace until I could pull over. Almost a mile away. This tire blew at the worst possible place.

I did as directed, white-knuckling the steering wheel as our truck hobbled along. It sounded awful and I was sure that I was tearing up the truck something fierce.

As I was driving I could see that these amazing men had driven a huge work truck out onto the freeway behind me and were waving off traffic so we didn't get creamed from behind. Another truck sped along side me on the other side of the concrete berms to meet me at the safe clearing. And the man who told me to get off the road was waiting in his car making sure I did so safely.

We finally made it and two construction workers got right to work evaluating the tire and peppering me with questions regarding the spare, jack, etc. I pulled the kids out of the truck and one said "Man! If I knew you had kids in there I would gone double-time! Forget the rim!". Um, thanks? I felt like mother of the year though I know that wasn't his intent.

I put Max and Kate in the back of the truck with strict instructions to stay put. One man gave them some cold water and they were quite enjoying this adventure.

Tender Mercy #2: It is October, not terribly hot and my kids are not freaking out.



Tender  Mercy #3: The construction workers were still at the site. When I drove back to the shoe store 20 minutes later there was no one there.

Tender Mercy #4: Phil was home.

Tender Mercy #5: We didn't get hit or die. :) But really, that was such a blessing that nothing serious happened to us.



I am so grateful that those men were generous and kind in assisting me. I felt woefully inadequate just trying to find the tire jack, unlocking the spare tire, etc. I know that physically I do not have the strength to unlock the spare from under the truck bed, remove the bad tire and throw it in the back of the truck. And changing the tire? Ah! Phil tightens the lug nuts with an air gun. I have been working out but psh! Bless those sweet men who helped the crazy lady sitting in traffic with two small children. If I had waited for DPS to show up we would have been there a looooong time.