Random Words: Angels On Earth

In May of 2010, along our traveling path, we stopped for a couple of weeks in Indiana to spend time with a friend. As much as we enjoyed our time on the beautiful farm in Indiana and as much as I enjoyed spending time with a dear old friend, it was time to go forth upon our journey and so we did.

We left Indiana late Monday evening on our way to our next stop, Missouri, to spend time with more dear old friends and settle in for the summer.

We pulled out of Carrie’s driveway, with many hugs and almost a few tears, at 9pm. I am not sure why but I feel very connected to Carrie’s daughter and hugging her goodbye was the second hardest thing for me, the first being to leave our beloved old dog Noita. As we drove down the road the heavy feeling in our hearts began to lift as we started to think about our new destination and our excitement to see our friends in Missouri grew.

By 11pm (eastern time) we were very far down highway 64 and trying to find a gas station. Unfortunately we had hit a section of road in which all the gas stations close early and none were being found. We finally thought we had found one but alas it too was closed. We pulled back on to the highway thinking we could probably go another 50 miles if we had to but within a mile the truck sputtered to a halt. We were more than a little concerned as we did not really know the road and had no idea how far away a gas station might be. However, me being who I am, I said well we gotta do what we gotta do and I picked up and started walking with my son Johnny to go find one, leaving John with the truck both for the safety of our things and because he cannot walk as far as I can push myself when needed.

Johnny and I took a flashlight with us and started down the very dark section of highway toward our unknown destination. Every time a car or truck passed I would attempt to flag them down to no avail. I finally became discouraged with that effort and simply waved the flashlight back and forth so that they would know we were there and hopefully would not hit us as we continued walking.

About 2 miles into our excursion, as I continued to wave the flashlight for our protection, suddenly a truck pulled over. Of course it takes a truck a minute to get stopped and I think it took the driver a minute to make his decision to stop, so the truck was a couple hundred feet away. Johnny and I broke into the fastest run I could manage at that point and Johnny tried to pull me along.

Finally, realizing we couldn’t risk the truck driving away, Johnny said to me “Mom, let go of me I can get to it faster”. I was afraid to do so as the highway is very dark and only one of us could keep the flashlight but I too was afraid our rescuer might give up and drive away so I gave in and let him go ahead of me. Johnny, who is 17 and very tall and fast, ran ahead and explained the situation to the driver. The driver told him to get in and Johnny said “I think I will wait for my mom”. He’s so smart and makes such good decisions. I am so very proud he is mine.

The driver understood and they talked as I walked up to the truck as fast as I could. I had given up on running as I could not breathe well and was hurting my body beyond belief.

When I got to the truck I explained what had happened, of course I didn’t know what Johnny had told him so I’m sure I repeated a lot of it. The driver said to get in and he would get us to a gas station at least. I know that the next thing I did was probably not a safe decision in some people’s minds and if I didn’t have the cell phone and a very large protective son with me I might not have done it, heck I wouldn’t have even walked without those two items really, but we did just what the driver asked, we got in.

Now before I explain further let me explain that I have a GREAT amount of faith. Faith in God? Faith in people? Faith in what? Well I have faith in God and the universe and my own protective guides to send me exactly what I need and to warn me if something is not right. I had faith when we left the truck that we would be sent a ride, not JUST a ride but the correct ride, and when I first saw this man and felt his energy I knew it had been provided. Not only that but he stopped just as I finished a prayer to the universe to bring us someone to help us.

(now I will continue)

The truck driver was very nice. Johnny and I both thanked him for his kindness and joked about how Johnny thought he might have to carry me if we had to walk very much further, due to my own disabilities. The driver explained that he had not stopped to pick up anyone in years due to the state of society today but he had seen the camper and then saw us and something just told him he had to stop. We talked about how everything happens for a reason and how God brings these experiences to us for a purpose and provides for us when we need. We talked about our families and our spouses. All the while this man stopped at 2 different exits trying to find me an open gas station, once again to no avail.

He explained to me that we had hit the dead zone on the highway and once past it that we wouldn’t see something like it again but we picked a terrible spot to run out of gas. I laughed and said that we didn’t exactly choose it but stated again that I was sure there was a purpose to it and that later I would find the lessons within it. He understood what I was talking about, which is pretty amazing because often people don’t.

After yet again another closed station he told me we would probably have to go to the truck stop but it was another 24 miles down the road. I told him that we had to do something and I trusted that he knew the road better than I so it was fine. I also said that it would probably be easier for me to find a return ride at a truck stop and he agreed so once again we were off down the road with our new friend who’s name I never learned.

After another 24 miles we reached the truck stop which was next to a wal-mart. We thanked our friend once again and told him we believed he was an angel on earth. After saying goodbye, Johnny and I headed over to wal-mart to get two 5 gallon gas cans and then we returned to the truck stop to get them filled up and find our way back.

After filling the cans I told Johnny to wait outside with them while I re-entered the truck stop to see if I could find someone going in our direction or at least somebody who would. Most all of the truckers were in their trucks out back sleeping and I was concerned because there was next to nobody inside. Finally I spotted a man who looked like he might be a driver.

I approached the man, tentatively because I did not know if I could trust him even if he said he could take us back, but I had to have faith and try. I asked him if he was driving tonight and he looked at me kind of funny for a minute. Then he said “Oh you mean a rig?”. I said yes and he informed me he was not a truck driver but a taxi driver. I smiled and thought ok if God wants me to take a taxi then a taxi I shall take. I explained the situation and asked him how much it might cost. He gave me a price of 20 – 30 dollars and I checked my wallet to make sure I could afford to do it, which I could. I told him we would take the taxi if he wouldn’t mind getting us back to our vehicle with the gas and he agreed.

When we got into the taxi the driver explained that he had one other fare he had to pick up and drop off first and then he would go from there to take us. Johnny and I were fine with that. At least we were in a safe vehicle and on our way back to John, who by this time had been waiting for well over an hour with no word from us because I had the only cell phone.

We picked up the other passenger at Wal-mart and rode along talking away about what had happened and where we were headed along the way. We talked about how I feel I live a spirit led life and we discussed the online radio talk show I work with. We talked about learning from experience and not letting this kind of thing happen again. All the while the other passenger sat quietly listening to the driver and I talk.

When we reached the other man’s destination he asked how much for the ride and the driver told him $3. This young man then did the most amazing thing. I say young man because I don’t believe this man was older than 25 at the most. This young man handed the cab driver his fare and $20 extra. He proceeded to say “Use that toward wherever it is they are going”. I literally began to cry. I was touched by this gesture of this stranger, that we had only been in the presence of for a matter of 10 or 15 minutes, beyond words. I turned with tears in my eyes and said “thank you so very much”. His response was “Don’t think anything of it, just paying it forward” and then he was gone and we were on the way.

What I had failed to realize was that we were actually 42 miles back down the highway so it was a longer drive than any of us expected and was also going to cost more than originally anticipated but I knew that I was doing the right thing.

All the while, back at the truck and unbeknown to me John had enjoyed some company of his own. His first visitor was a county sheriff who stopped to see if he was ok. Apparently someone had reported Johnny and I walking along the highway and they had come to check things out. John explained the situation and the officer went off down the highway to find me. Apparently he did not return. Instead a state trooper returned and explained that they had not found me along the road. He asked John what I was wearing. To which John replied “uhhhh hmmmm” and the trooper had to laugh. So they talked for a while about our lives and about our full time RVing, about John’s disabilities and mine. They talked about the camper, which the trooper was quite interested in and curious about. Finally as the trooper was about to leave John realized that he could turn on my computer and get one of my friend’s phone numbers so that they could give the trooper my cell number to check on me. The trooper thought this was a very good idea and so soon after that I received a call on my cell phone.

So, back at the cab. The driver and I were having a lovely conversation about spirituality and religion when my cell phone rings. I figured it was Victor calling to check on me but when I answered I found a surprise. It was in fact a state trooper who was at the truck with my husband checking to see if I was alright and where I was. I explained everything that had happened and asked him to please tell my husband that I was in fact safe and we were on our way back with the gasoline. I also asked if he could tell me a good way to explain to the cab driver how to get me very near my vehicle and the trooper told me that we were very close to exit ### (I’ve forgotten the number) and to take that and then get back on 64 west bound to get to my vehicle. I thanked him and we hung up.

I explained how to get us back to the driver and then our conversation continued. We talked about my life and family and then about his life and family. He shared with me how just a few short years ago he had been in a terrible accident that had left him paralyzed from the waist down. The doctors said that even with surgery he would probably never walk again. He also shared with me that he would NOT accept that and that he had told them surgery or no he was walking out of that hospital. Well he didn’t walk out immediately but after surgery and long months of physical therapy he did in fact recover and I could see that for the most part today he was well. We talked about faith and belief in the self and that being a huge part of that recovery.

Once again, back at the truck John’s friend the state trooper returned to chat and keep him company. He was getting ready to be done for the night and just wanted to check in before he did. As they talked more about our lives and travels the trooper kind of shyly said “I hate to ask but earlier when we were talking about the camper you said you wouldn’t mind showing me what it looked like inside and I’ve never seen the inside of one of these rigs…”. Before he finished the sentence John was already getting out of the truck saying sure and no problem. They went back to the camper and entered for the grand tour, which John gladly gave of our new large home. The trooper was really quite impressed with it and asked lots of little questions about how things ran and how big it was with the pop-out and then they sat inside and chatted for a while. Finally it was time for the trooper to go home, he wished John luck with our trip and went on his way.

I want to add here that both of these officers were amazing people. They were concerned and helpful and friendly. They could have not been this way but they chose to be so and it made John’s night of worrying much easier on him. We have been in state’s where officers like this would have made trouble for us or made things MORE stressful and I cannot express how appreciative I am for these gentlemen of the Illinois police force. Particularly the state trooper, who I personally think should go to other states and teach classes on how to be professional and friendly at the same time.

Finally we reached the truck. John came right over and grabbed the gas, with Johnny’s help, while I worked on settling up with the driver. We knew it was going to be more than he had quoted me but I truly expected it to be a lot more than it was. In fact the tab only came up to $50, but if you remember spirit provided a young man (or angel on earth if you will) to give our driver $20 of that already so in fact the tab came to exactly what I was quoted originally which was $30.

We put the gas in the truck and headed to the truck stop to fill the truck and the cans. By this time it was almost 2am. My adventure had lasted for 3 hours and the people I met were truly “Angels on Earth” and they have touched my heart and my life forever.

After that the trip was relatively uneventful. I did get to see the beautiful archway in St. Louis because it was full on daylight when we got there and really what a site it is. I have pictures but they are on my cell phone and I have no signal here to send them to my computer but soon. Of course in taking the pictures I managed to miss a navigation onto an exit we were supposed to take, however we got re-navigated to a different exit which turned out to be an easier to access one anyway so once again that turned out better for us in the long run.

We were supposed to reach Missouri by 8am but due to our difficulties by 11am we were still not here and we were all very exhausted. We wanted to sleep but could not find a rest area. We were getting to the point where we needed gas once more and we began looking for an open station. We thought we found one but it was not open and looked like it had not been in some time, however the truckers were using for a rest area and we thought that looked like a GREAT idea. So we pulled the camper into a spot and loaded into it to sleep for an hour, which actually turned into 2 hours that were much needed.

After our nap we were slightly refreshed and totally psyched to realize we were only about 90 miles from our destination and we headed off once more.

Finally we reached our friends house in Missouri. We pulled in and greeted everyone. We were tired and probably not as loving as we would normally be but we were ready to set up the camper and settle in. And that we did.