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? Just
before Christmas 2004, I backed my van out of the garage to
discover I had a flat tire.? Oh joy I thought, it was dark,
cold and raining and now a flat tire!? I locked up the van
and went back into the house to call for service.? Well,
that didn??™t go too well either as it was over an hour later
that the tow truck driver finally arrived.? And he wouldn??™t
have arrived that soon had he not called me directly for
directions.? It seems the tow company dispatcher couldn??™t
read a map.? The poor tow truck driver had been sent
everywhere but to my house.
The
driver told me he had been on duty for twelve hours that
day.? He told me he had volunteered to cover another
driver??™s shift, as they were short handed. I??™m certain this
wild goose chase, was the last thing he needed that night.?
As he was working to get my tire changed, he told me the
following story:?
He told
me his two children were in the tow truck sound asleep.? He
had left the tow truck engine running, to keep the kids
warm. There they were in the truck, two little boys, 2 and 3
years old, sound asleep in their jammies, cozy and warm.? He
went ahead to tell me that he had just won custody of the
children after fighting a lengthy battle in court with his
Ex-wife.? He said that he? chose to drive nights so his wife
would be with the children at night and then he would be
with them? while his wife worked days.? He said he didn??™t
want the boys to be in childcare.
He told
me a couple of nights he got off early and came home to an
empty house, no sign of his? wife? or children.? He had
not? received? a phone call and there was not even a note. He
said she lied and made up an excuse,? he decided to give her
the benefit of the doubt this first time. He said the second
time it happened he realized that something was very wrong.
He said he also talked with neighbors the next morning and
found out this had been going on for sometime.?
He said
he found out, that while he was at work his wife had been
going out to bars and leaving the kids with whomever she
could find. She would make sure to be home before? he
returned from work.
Here
this man was working a twelve hour day to provide for his
children and had them right there in the tow truck with
him.? He was doing the best he could at the time.? He said
he had found a trustworthy childcare provider earlier that
day? which would care for his children? starting the next
day.?
He was
so happy, and had a big grin on his face as he was telling
me his story.? I could tell he would move mountains for his
little boys if need be. I admired and respected him for
these things. As he drove away, I thought to myself, there
goes a real daddy, thank you God. Lord, please give this man
the strength of two parents and please throw in some special
blessings for those little boys too.? And Lord please let
them always know how much they are loved!?
I will
never forget the story this tow truck driver shared with me
that night. I truly believe that my tire was flat for a
reason, for this man needed to tell his story.?
? ?©Copyright, Barbara J. Ervin-Weymouth,
January 31, 2005, All Rights Reserved
? Weymouth@cwnet.com |
