By Simon Ambit
Like a child expending those last charges of energy before succumbing to the slumber of bedtime. The sun had descended below the western horizon, but a few diligent rays still gave luminance to the outside world for the last few moments before darkness could take full stewardship of the evening.
I was outside enjoying the stillness, as I wrapped up the evening chores. I was a bit startled by the buzz of my cell phone, and it caused me to jump slightly. Pulling the advanced device from my pocket, I swiped my finger across the screen and answered the call. The voice that came across the signal was that of friends, who earlier in the day had gone out to Clark’s Valley for a ride on the UTV. During the excursion they had gotten a flat tire on the trailer they were towing, and were without a spare. Upon locating a tire from my friends’ family, I headed out to dish out some much deserved heckling, and to rescue my stranded comrades.
As I arrived on scene, I found one of the men lying underneath the trailer with a pair of wire cutters. The trailer tire had apparently experienced a total physical breakdown. All that remained of its circumferential self was the menagerie of wire that had aggressively entangled itself in an act of rage around the axle of the trailer.
Within just a short time, the last of the wire was cut free, the spare was bolted into position, and they were back on the road bound for home. Ironically, just after leaving the gravel road and pulling on Highway 6, the tire on the opposite side of the trailer followed suit and they were once again on the side of the road with a flat tire and unable to move forward. This time no additional spares were available. The decision was made to unhook the trailer and leave it behind for the night. The UTV was unloaded; one friend drove home in the pickup, and the other captained his UTV the short distance to his home in Wellington. Night was spent safely at home and the trailer was recovered and properly repaired the next day.
It just goes to show that we need to be prepared for anything that comes our way. At times in life we may be called upon to help rescue an emotionally, physically, or otherwise stranded friend. Yet at other times we may be the ones placing the call and hoping that someone responds. It is great to have the ability to draw upon and at times be this type of saving resource. However, no matter who we are, be assured that at some point a little further down the road, there is going to come a time when things are going to leave us in a tough situation. A point where we must help ourselves by making the decision to leave behind that part of us that is continuing to stop our progression. May God bless us with the wisdom to go prepared, the ability to be a resource, and the luck to never need two spare tires in the same day! Life is good, have fun out there!