Roadside Assistance

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“We’re fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance.” – Japanese Proverb

My kids and I are visiting our happy place. The funny thing about happy places is that I think they are contagious.

There’s a backstory (isn’t there always?). We rented out our house again on AirBnB. I figured we should take advantage of all that work we did to get our house ready. Because there’s nothing like being displaced from your home to inspire an adventure.

So we are staying up at our friends’ place on Whidbey Island. Last week when I was updating the guest book instructions for our house at 10pm after finishing 10 loads of laundry and making up five beds, I couldn’t believe I had chosen to make our house guest ready again. But the expansive sense of beachside escapades made it all worth it the moment we arrived.

Unlike our previous travels to see friends this summer where we stayed in 10 different places in 19 days and spent more than 40 hours on planes and trains, getting here was really easy. Three hours door to door and that included waiting in the line for the ferry and stopping at the store to buy dinner.

After unpacking the cold items into the fridge, we piled back into the car to show my mom and my sister our favorite farmer’s market on the island before it ended at 2pm. My kids excitedly narrated every hot spot went by: the place where the hot chocolate tastes like coffee dregs, the corner shop where we used to buy donuts before they closed, the thrift store for random rainy day toys. And then we passed a guy fixing his bike tire by the side of the road.

I polled the carful of people to see if we should stop to help. My kids in their enthusiastic mood that accompanies being in a happy place said, “Sure! Can we get out?”

The puncture of his tire was done by a nail so big that even with a new tube, he was worried the tube would just balloon out the hole. Our tire repair kit or pump wasn’t going to help. So I told him there was a bike shop next to the farmer’s market and we’d be happy to drive him.

He and his bike piled in with us, probably reassured that we weren’t going to do him any harm given the messy state of the car or the enthusiastic kids. As we drove, we listened in on his call to his friend that he had been biking with reporting that he’d met some VERY friendly people and was being driven to a bike shop.

After we left him to go to the bike shop and we headed into the farmer’s market, I was amused by everyone’s interpretation of what just had happened.

My sister thought we were so friendly that we were scary.

My mom wondered if we’d ever get to where we were going if we stopped to help every human and animal along the way.

My kids thought the guy’s name – Harold – was funny.

And I thought happy places, real or metaphorical, make helpful people.

(featured photo from Pexels)

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64 thoughts on “Roadside Assistance”

  2. It’s interesting that your sister and mom had questions about your little adventure. When you and your kids are out and about, you are all in – present and engaged. I’ve been following you and your adventures for a while now and I think I know you reasonably well to know we are a lot like. It’s nothing for you to stop and help people, or talk to somebody along the way, or become engaged with somebody you don’t know. I think it’s awesome that you’re teaching your kids that there is more to the world beyond them. Our kids need that so much. Thank you for sharing and have a wonderful week.

    Liked by 5 people

  6. A wonderful teaching moment here, Wynne. Stay in the present, and also stay available for others if they need a hand…no matter what we might have on the schedule. Kindness expressed pays off not only in the short-term, but the long-term…and I am sure that biker will pay that kindness forward the next time he has the opportunity to do so.

    Liked by 2 people

  7. A beautiful story, Wynne. I love how the kids are always ready to lend a hand. Enjoy your time on the Island. What a summer of adventure, near and far, it’s been for all of us! 💕

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hope you are enjoying your beach time as well, Ab! It’s been a great summer of adventure – seems like we need to capitalize on this moment before middle school, don’t we?

      Liked by 1 person

  10. “…wondered if we’d ever get to where we were going if we stopped to help every human and animal along the way.” Hmmm, an interesting dilemma. However, maybe that is the real goal of life and we just don’t know it — to help so many others that we forget about our own troubles and end up somewhere else altogether. I don’t know but sure is an interesting idea. And btw, good for you guys in not looking the other way, but instead helping!!!!!

    Liked by 2 people

  11. I love this, Wynne, You’re raising such incredible kids! I’m a bigger helper, but Dr. Zeus even more so… I often find myself wondering the same thing as your mother. However, I’ve ultimately concluded it’s better to be a good, helpful human begin who is occasionally late (with a story) than the alternative.

    Liked by 2 people

  12. Kumar would disagree.

    I’ve had a happy place everywhere I’ve lived…but I haven’t been in Wisconsin long enough yet to find mine here. (Honestly though, it’s probably someplace with cheese curds.)

    Liked by 1 person

  13. You are setting such a good example by helping strangers. Your kids will be following your role model and make the world a better place.

    We’ll be heading to my happy place, a cottage by the sea in less than two weeks. I’ll be helpful to my friend of 40 years. She’s a cyclist but crashed going down a hill and has a rod and plates in her hip. She’s limited on what she can do and in pain. Must be so hard for her because she is always busy and on the go.

    Liked by 1 person

      1. It will be year nine in this cottage by the sea. We’ve stayed in two others since my 32-year
        -old son was born. Perfect escapes from summer desert heat. I’ll help my friend as much as possible.

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  16. Your contagious “Very friendly” trio inflated Harold’s ‘flattened’ happiness. Sure beats AAA roadside service 😊 … Good job youse guys 👍
    Keep Looking Up ^ … His Best is Yet to Come!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. You’re right about stranger-danger. Especially where we remember how Ted Bundy played on that so well here in the PNW. That’s the good thing about bike shorts – nowhere to hide a weapon. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  19. Your generosity is a remarkable thing, Wynne. Run it through the Xerox machine a few million times and you shall recreate the world.

    Liked by 1 person

  20. what a wonderful crossing of paths. i think it was a win for all, i love the democratic process of voting to help, and it turned into a really nice little adventure. your take on everyone else’s take on the experience is so funny

    Liked by 1 person

  28. It seems that such kindness as you showed Harold is rare these days. Few are willing to take the time to help a stranger. And then there’s the safety issue, and all sorts of scamming possibilities. I’m so glad your story had a happy ending, Wynne! No doubt Harold will be telling others about the VERY friendly people who helped him.

    Like

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