Freak-out!

Yesterday is a day that I have had nightmares about. Its a day that I have felt sorry for other people about. It was the day I got my first flat tire! Not only did I have a flat tire but I was in a very small town an hour away from my house in South Carolina. I knew the car felt kind of funny driving and when I got into the town I rolled my window down and heard the air escaping fast. When the light changed I knew by the way the tire was clumping that I needed to get off the road fast. So I pulled into the first safe place I could find which was the Bi-lo parking lot. Now I have to confess that at this point I was about to have a slight panic attack, I had to be at a customer's right down the road in exactly 45 minutes and I don't know how to change a tire. I know, something I really need to learn and my wonderful husband has told me he will teach me. So I called him and at least let him know I was in trouble and could he tell me how fast to ride on a doughnut tire. He told me and I went into the Bi-lo to see if anyone in there knew of a tire place I could call or go to. This really nice girl named Darlene not only said yes she did but she called them for me and I was to wait in my car for them to come.
Now its approaching when I'm due at my customer's and I did call and said I was going to be late and they totally understood and felt sorry for me. Well I waited for about an hour and no one showed up. Darlene was getting off work and she called again for me and the man said he was working by himself and couldn't come, to which Darlene said she was going to change the tire herself! She had NEVER done it before but had helped enough times to know what to do and I was so worn out from being stressed that I didn't care. So we go over to my car and I get the spare out and Darlene proceeds to try to find my jack which if I hadn't had been so crazy acting I could have found myself but she just gets her own out which doesn't really work. Well these other two women see our despair and apparently are state workers and to the rescue they come, one just hops right down on the pavement and gets to business. They had to take out all their groceries to get to their jack but they didn't care and really helped out. By this time the manager of the Bi-lo (a man) comes out and finishes up the job. Boy was I thankful for those 4 people yesterday and I was thinking how in the world am I going to be able to re-pay them. So I offered them all cash and only one accepted and I felt like the most blessed person in all the world. I made it to my customers only 40 minutes late and drove home very slow but learned that there are still people willing to help others out and that I want to be that eager to help others out when they are in a bind. And I will never ever fuss at someone going slow down the road on a doughnut ever again!
Oh yeah for the record a cop drove by in the shopping center and I tried to motion him over but he just smiled and drove off, I guess I wasn't his type!! Just kidding he probably didn't realize I needed help. Well I am signing up for AAA today! I could be a commercial for them if they wanted......