Last night after posting on my blog, I called Ronnie to tell him about how much I was enjoying binge-watching Parks and Recreation, so I could recommend that he and Nita watch that show, on Netflix. Because he and I are always recommending shows to watch. And it is probably very common with senior citizens, because many of my friends do it, too.
Anyway, during our fun conversation, Ronnie paused, and then he told me that he wanted to tell me about what had happened to him earlier that morning. And the way he said it—scared me. So, I held my breath and listened.
And in Reader's Digest form I will put it on a bumper-sticker for you. So here goes.
Early in the morning, on a Texas highway, in Austin, Ronnie was driving his Toyota Tundra pickup about 70 miles per hour when one of his almost new tires had a blowout. So Ronnie quickly pulled off to the side of the highway. And vehicles were flying past him as he tried to fix his flat.
His truck was on an incline and even with the emergency brake on, the truck kept slipping off of the jack. Then the jack broke, so he got back into his truck and called Nita to see if she could bring him another car jack.
Sweet Nita did not know where the jack was, so Ronnie told her where to find it. Then he sat back, knowing that it would take Nita at least forty-minutes for her to get there. But Nita never came.
Nita never showed up, because within a few minutes Ronnie looked into his rear view mirror and saw this truck with these flashing blue and white lights pull up behind him. Ronnie figured it was the highway patrol, but it wasn't. It was a Texas Department of Transportation Hero! Thank goodness. This is a picture of a HERO truck that I took from this site.
I did not know this and neither did Ronnie, that TxDOT operates a free roadside assistance program for stranded motorists along US 183, I-35, US 290, SH 71 and MoPac.
TxDOT in partnership with the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, operates a free Highway Emergency Response Operator (HERO) patrol service program to clear minor crashes from area roadways and assist motorists in need. And HERO services include:
- Relocating disabled vehicles to safety
- Removing minor crashes from the roadway
- Providing traffic and lane control at crash scenes
- Removing debris from travel lanes
- Changing flat tires
- Giving air to low tires
- Adding gasoline and water
- Performing minor vehicle repairs
- Jump-starting batteries
- Assisting first responders at crash scenes
- Providing drinking water and cell phone services to stranded motorists
Now back to the story. Ronnie told me that this super-nice man got out of his truck and Ronnie told him that Nita was bringing him a jack, because his jack had broken. This awesome HERO told Ronnie that we would gladly change the flat for him and he suggested that Ronnie call Nita to tell her to forget bringing him a jack.
Ronnie said that the HERO then put these little cones around their trucks and within a few minutes the HERO had changed Ronnie's flat for him.
Ronnie thanked him over and over again and then he offered to pay the HERO for helping him, but this great man politely refused the money, telling Ronnie, "Thank you, but I can't take your money. It's my job and this is what I do." He and Ronnie shook hands and then both of them drove away.
As Ronnie continued to rave about how great this HERO was, I teared up, because I knew that Ronnie could have been hit by a passing vehicle or even killed. But Ronnie didn't know I was tearing up, because I was looking up toward the ceiling to keep the tears away.
Then Ronnie told me that as soon as he got back home, he was so impressed with this HERO that he went to the TxDot HERO site and took the survey to tell TxDOT what had happened to him and to please thank the HERO for him.
And just before Ronnie and I adios-ed each other, Ronnie said, "Thank goodness that HERO came to my rescue, because Nita could not find the jack. And when I got back home it was exactly where I had told her I had put it." And we burst out laughing.
As I finish writing this I want to thank the HERO for helping Ronnie on the highway, and to let him know that he is now one of my heroes, because he rescued one of my heroes. And that is why today has been so great.
Y'all have a great evening and keep on laughing!
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