Almost Disaster

It could have very well been a disaster…

It was a fall day in 1989 … I accepted an invitation to speak to the inmates at Huntingdon since they proclaimed me their favorite deejay.

After my speech, I left for home about 4PM ..

As I drove down the road, my car started to slow down even with my foot on the gas. I managed to get to the side of the road to see what was wrong.

I had no idea why it stopped so I sat there a minute and tried to start it again. It started and I got back on the road only to stop again a short distance away.

I was scared. I started to panic but I knew I had to figure out what to do… so I cried a minute then got out of the car to look under the hood ....

I don’t know what I was looking for so I got back in the car, locked the doors and sat there watching the traffic pass me by.

I had no idea how far I was away from anywhere to even make a phone call .. I hadn’t even heard of a cell phone, at the time.

After a bit, I tried to start the car again to no avail and again was looking under the hood when a man appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

He startled me and realized he had but he asked if he could help and proceeded to look under the hood.

He said something was loose and pressed whatever it was in place and told me to try to start it again.

It started. I thanked him and he seemed to disappear as quickly as he had appeared…

Later, I concluded that he must have been one of the angels I had yet to encounter during this dilemma.

Out on the road again… it stopped again.

Meanwhile, it was starting to get dark and I was at my wits end.

I don’t know how much time passed when a young man in a red sports car pulled up in front of me. He told me he didn’t know too much about cars but he would take me to the nearest garage or phone.

In the few minutes of conversation I noticed his uniform and duffel bag in the back seat and remembered having seen a convoy on the way up…

so I took a chance.

I’d seen enough movies and news reports to be afraid, but I didn’t know what else to do and it was getting darker. Thank goodness, a gas station was less than 3 minutes away.

The young man wished me luck, I thanked him and he went on his way.

I explained the situation to the gas station attendant and asked if I could call AAA, he told me they didn’t work on Sunday in that area.

Oh boy! Now what...

I called a friend and asked him to pick me up and he said okay.

Here I am a hundred miles or more from home on a Sunday night in a strange gas station with my car on the side of the road. It would take my friend better than an hour or so to reach me and the attendant would be closing before then.

He asked me if I wanted to give my friend his home phone number and go to his house to wait .

I was hesitant .. facing yet another dilemma … attempting to reassure me of his intentions … he called his wife to put on some coffee …

I took another chance ….

We went up the road to my car to get my Bose audio system and proceeded to the attendants house.

I had no idea where I was once we were off the main road but we arrived at his house and were greeted by his wife and children.

She poured me a cup of what I assumed was coffee by the smell.

The family was very pleasant, and I relaxed my apprehension … grateful for their assistance.

My friend called. I thanked the attendant’s family and we left to meet him..

When I got home … I made arrangements for the car to be towed and repaired.

a couple weeks later, I went to get my car.

On my way back home, I stopped at the gas station to say thank you again but the station was temporarily closed for hunting season.

I didn’t remember the family’s name …

I think of them now and then …

Like I said …. it could have very well been a disaster ..

GOD prevented that .... He sent a bunch of angels that day…

©1996 Joyce E Coley