Letters

Dear Mr. Man That Helped My Husband Last Night,

On a very cold night, with heavy sleet coming down, my husband was trying to make his way home safely to his wife and children. He had told me around 8:45 that night that he was on his way home, which meant, allowing for slow driving, he'd be home around 9:45 or so. The roads were slick, thick with snow and ice and not yet salted or plowed by the state road workers, so that meant my husband had to drive precarious twists and turns with no 4x4 or chains on his tires. He managed to drive 20 miles without incident and then on a curve, the truck ended up skidding on ice and landed in a ditch. Not too long after, you came along with a nice, big 4x4 pick-up truck and asked if he was ok. Then asked if he had $50 bucks. Lucky for you, my husband had just cashed his meager paycheck on Monday and had not been to the food store or to the other store to buy a few presents for the kids yet. After handing over $50, you hooked up a chain to my husband's truck and pulled him out of the ditch and up the hill to a gas station. After asking where my husband was headed (another 10 miles through more twists, hills and turns) you gave him your business card and asked him if he had another $50 in case he got stuck in a ditch again. My husband said no more cash and you shook your head. You told my husband that you were going to be at this all night long, "helping" people get unstuck.

Once upon a time, I rode along with a friend's brother, doing the very same thing you were doing last night. We pulled people out of stuck positions for 50 bucks a pop and at the end of the day, made somewhere around $600. Easy money! I suppose it is Karma, that it happened to us and we had to pay $50 to get unstuck. But now that I am on the other side of the game, it hurts to hand over that money, so that my husband could get home safely to his wife and children.

Thank you for your help. I hope that one day, when you are stuck, you get some help and whoever helps you does not charge you $50 to get unstuck. Have a Merry Christmas, sir.

Sincerely,

Worried Wife of Stuck Husband

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Dear Mr. Man That Gave Husband a Ride Home,

Not long after my husband left the gas station, he made it another 5 miles without incident. In the opposite direction, my Husband could see another vehicle coming fast, too fast in sleet conditions and on roads that still have not been plowed. By then it was 10:30 at night and the poor Wife was worried sick, unable to get through to his cell phone because the mountains block all cell service. As the vehicle came closer, the husband realized that it was in his lane and he had to take action or get involved in a terrible accident. He edged his truck as close as he could to the shoulder of the road but it was not enough and he ended up going into a ditch. Did the other driver stop? No, he sped on by, never stopping to see if my husband was alright.

You came along and stopped to check. You asked if my husband was ok and he was shaken, but fine. Both of you had no chains to pull his truck out, but soon a state snow plow came along and had chains. After pulling my husband's truck out of the ditch, he plowed a little parking lot where many commuters park for carpooling, so that my husband could park his truck there for the night. The last 5 miles to home are the curviest, and the hilliest and he knew, just knew that his truck would not make it that far. You offered my husband a ride, since you were headed that way and so you brought him home safely to me.

Thank you for your kindness, for not being an axe murderer, and for thinking of the welfare of others. You even turned down my husband's offer for gas money. You made a very worried wife happy and I hugged my husband tight when he finally came through the door, around 11:30 last night. May you have a wonderful Christmas with your family. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

With warmest regards,

Relieved Wife

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