The sun was just coming up when I headed out to work last May at 6 a.m. Not quite dark but dark enough to need my headlights.
The
sun
was
just
coming
up
when
I
headed
out
to
work
last
May
at
6
a.m.
Not
quite
dark
but
dark
enough
to
need
my
headlights
.
I turned onto one of the lonely rural country roads.
I
turned
onto
one
of
the
lonely
rural
country
roads
.
Maybe it was because I was listening to the radio, maybe it was because I was already thinking about some projects at work, that I didn't spot the dark object on the road until I was too late.
Maybe
it
was
because
I
was
listening
to
the
radio
,
maybe
it
was
because
I
was
already
thinking
about
some
projects
at
work
,
that
I
did
n't
spot
the
dark
object
on
the
road
until
I
was
too
late
.
I ran over it and felt the back left tire pull, and then sink.
I
ran
over
it
and
felt
the
back
left
tire
pull
,
and
then
sink
.
I stopped and got out of the car.
I
stopped
and
got
out
of
the
car
.
No mystery here---- my back left tyre was cut like a loaf of bread.
No
mystery
here
--
--
my
back
left
tyre
was
cut
like
a
loaf
of
bread
.
Back 50 yards was a piece of sharp iron I had run over.
Back
50
yards
was
a
piece
of
sharp
iron
I
had
run
over
.
I had never changed a tyre.
I
had
never
changed
a
tyre
.
I looked up the road.
I
looked
up
the
road
.
Not a car in either direction.
Not
a
car
in
either
direction
.
The nearest service station was miles away.
The
nearest
service
station
was
miles
away
.
I threw up my hands.
I
threw
up
my
hands
.
Then I remembered---- my cell phone!
Then
I
remembered
--
--
my
cell
phone
!
I powered it up before realizing, I didn't know who to call.
I
powered
it
up
before
realizing
,
I
did
n't
know
who
to
call
.
Wouldn't you know it, I spotted a car coming from the opposite direction.
Would
n't
you
know
it
,
I
spotted
a
car
coming
from
the
opposite
direction
.
The driver slowed as he approached.
The
driver
slowed
as
he
approached
.
I guessed he could see I was in trouble.
I
guessed
he
could
see
I
was
in
trouble
.
He stopped his car, got out and immediately saw the trouble.
He
stopped
his
car
,
got
out
and
immediately
saw
the
trouble
.
"Madam, would you like me to change that tyre for you?"
``
Madam
,
would
you
like
me
to
change
that
tyre
for
you
?
''
he asked.
he
asked
.
The man couldn't have been more friendly.
The
man
could
n't
have
been
more
friendly
.
I was frightened out there and he put me completely at ease.
I
was
frightened
out
there
and
he
put
me
completely
at
ease
.
"There," he said, after putting on the spare, "you are all set to go."
``
There
,
''
he
said
,
after
putting
on
the
spare
,
``
you
are
all
set
to
go
.
''
"Good thing for me that you were driving this way," I told him, as I climbed back into my car.
``
Good
thing
for
me
that
you
were
driving
this
way
,
''
I
told
him
,
as
I
climbed
back
into
my
car
.
"Funny you should say that," he said.
``
Funny
you
should
say
that
,
''
he
said
.
"Just like you, I was heading to work, but my job is in the opposite direction.
``
Just
like
you
,
I
was
heading
to
work
,
but
my
job
is
in
the
opposite
direction
.
I made a wrong turn at some point.
I
made
a
wrong
turn
at
some
point
.
I don't know what I was thinking."
I
do
n't
know
what
I
was
thinking
.
''
The sun was just coming up when I headed out to work last May at 6 a.m. Not quite dark but dark enough to need my headlights. I turned onto one of the lonely rural country roads.  Maybe it was because I was listening to the radio, maybe it was because I was already thinking about some projects at work, that I didn't spot the dark object on the road until I was too late. I ran over it and felt the back left tire pull, and then sink. I stopped and got out of the car.  No mystery here---- my back left tyre was cut like a loaf of bread. Back 50 yards was a piece of sharp iron I had run over. I had never changed a tyre. I looked up the road. Not a car in either direction. The nearest service station was miles away. I threw up my hands. Then I remembered---- my cell phone! I powered it up before realizing, I didn't know who to call.  Wouldn't you know it, I spotted a car coming from the opposite direction. The driver slowed as he approached. I guessed he could see I was in trouble. He stopped his car, got out and immediately saw the trouble. "Madam, would you like me to change that tyre for you?" he asked. The man couldn't have been more friendly. I was frightened out there and he put me completely at ease. "There," he said, after putting on the spare, "you are all set to go."  "Good thing for me that you were driving this way," I told him, as I climbed back into my car.  "Funny you should say that," he said. "Just like you, I was heading to work, but my job is in the opposite direction. I made a wrong turn at some point. I don't know what I was thinking."