Ardgal Raxis
More than a Man
So, today, my mom's car died. its a lovely 1994 Buick Century Station wagon that looks a lot like this:
Except we tinted the windows and gave it nicer caps. I tried more than once to talk my mom into adding flame decals on the side--but nope. The car is still a beauty one way or the other.
Now to the serious stuff. For over ten years we have had this thing, it has outlived two of my dad's work trucks, seen over 300k miles, and literally owns every part it could possibly have from every junkyard and auto shop within 50 miles. This car has seen me through junior high, high school, and almost all of my college (plus my mother's).
Lately the old gal started giving us auto trouble. Last the Buick started overheating without really any reason at all. Dad took a look, couldn't see what was wrong. So today around 3 mom left to get groceries. Then she texted at 4 to say she was on her way home--4:15 to say she had to stop at the gas station to get some gas and cool the car down cause it was getting a little toasty. Then at 4:20 she called and said it was dead, overheated and was walking home from 5 miles out with my youngest brother (who is 16) and the cold groceries.
My mom is Texan through and through. Honestly, if there are any pioneer women still left, my mom would be one. But still--she's my mom, and as Lex Luthor said it, "Every boy's special girl is his mother." So I told her I would go meet her and help her walk home with the groceries.
I got my shoes on, went outside and started jogging/running. I know what your thinking, "could he run 5 miles and back?" answer: hell yea. I used to train with Marines, now I am in even better shape than I was back then.
I get a mile down the road and see a white 2016 SUV coming down the road strait at me. So I slow down to a walk, get off the country road and wait because I live in the sticks and these black tops aren't pedestrian friendly. As the SUV gets closer I see my mom sitting in the passenger seat and a random lady, never seen her in my life there. She has three kids ages 4-1 in her back seat and my brother in her jumpseat in the very back. Mom says that she just saw them walking home with the cold groceries and pulled over to help.
I am not a sentimental guy at all. But it was hard for me to not get choked up about that because they took care of two of the most important people in my life. A total stranger. A random person, never will see me again, never knew us just out of the kindness of their heart pulled over to help my mom and brother.
To all the people kind and good enough to really do that, not just say they would but really pull over to help a total stranger and her son get home with food. Thanks. Really. You make the world good.
TL;DR: I am being a sappy queen and will probably stop in the next five mins. Mom's car broke down, a stranger helped her get home and I am thankful for all the good people who would do that.
Except we tinted the windows and gave it nicer caps. I tried more than once to talk my mom into adding flame decals on the side--but nope. The car is still a beauty one way or the other.
Now to the serious stuff. For over ten years we have had this thing, it has outlived two of my dad's work trucks, seen over 300k miles, and literally owns every part it could possibly have from every junkyard and auto shop within 50 miles. This car has seen me through junior high, high school, and almost all of my college (plus my mother's).
Lately the old gal started giving us auto trouble. Last the Buick started overheating without really any reason at all. Dad took a look, couldn't see what was wrong. So today around 3 mom left to get groceries. Then she texted at 4 to say she was on her way home--4:15 to say she had to stop at the gas station to get some gas and cool the car down cause it was getting a little toasty. Then at 4:20 she called and said it was dead, overheated and was walking home from 5 miles out with my youngest brother (who is 16) and the cold groceries.
My mom is Texan through and through. Honestly, if there are any pioneer women still left, my mom would be one. But still--she's my mom, and as Lex Luthor said it, "Every boy's special girl is his mother." So I told her I would go meet her and help her walk home with the groceries.
I got my shoes on, went outside and started jogging/running. I know what your thinking, "could he run 5 miles and back?" answer: hell yea. I used to train with Marines, now I am in even better shape than I was back then.
I get a mile down the road and see a white 2016 SUV coming down the road strait at me. So I slow down to a walk, get off the country road and wait because I live in the sticks and these black tops aren't pedestrian friendly. As the SUV gets closer I see my mom sitting in the passenger seat and a random lady, never seen her in my life there. She has three kids ages 4-1 in her back seat and my brother in her jumpseat in the very back. Mom says that she just saw them walking home with the cold groceries and pulled over to help.
I am not a sentimental guy at all. But it was hard for me to not get choked up about that because they took care of two of the most important people in my life. A total stranger. A random person, never will see me again, never knew us just out of the kindness of their heart pulled over to help my mom and brother.
To all the people kind and good enough to really do that, not just say they would but really pull over to help a total stranger and her son get home with food. Thanks. Really. You make the world good.
TL;DR: I am being a sappy queen and will probably stop in the next five mins. Mom's car broke down, a stranger helped her get home and I am thankful for all the good people who would do that.