It was the Monday before Christmas the day after an ice storm, a freezing cold day when winter finally hit. The Breakfast Club had just parted ways and I was headed home with Clare who was a few months shy of her 4th birthday. the frozen ground made driving a cautious affair and the van seemed to be dragging as we left the parking lot which I surmised was due to the ice underneath the tires. It soon became apparent that it wasn’t the ice that was the problem.
Turning on to Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station proved a tricky manouvre and as I continued to drive, I could tell the van wasn’t functioning properly. Approaching the traffic light at Hallock Road, I heard the driver behind me beeping the horn furiously. Checking my rearview mirror, I saw her waving frantically. I turned right onto Hallock Road but now driving the van was almost impossible and I was concerned that it might be dangerous, especially with a child in the car.
I stopped a short distance from the corner with the back of the car slightly protruding from the plowed snow and ice piled at the side of the road. The couple in the car behind had stopped too and were now urgently explaining that the back wheels of the van weren’t turning at all. That explained the driving problem. I checked the tires and the axle for any obstructions but none was visible. As I climbed into the driver’s seat the couple motioned to me not to drive since it was too dangerous. Their serious expressions assured me it would be imprudent to continue to drive home.
As I reached for my cell phone a Suffolk County police car approached from the opposite direction. I couldn’t believe my luck! God was smiling on me. As the cars swerved around the corner, braking hard and missing me by a hair, I told the police officer that I was attempting to call AAA for a tow truck. He casually said, “well, if you need any more help just call 911”. To my consternation, he drove off despite the erratic drivers speeding up behind me, shouting angrily or throwing obscene insults through the open window.
My initial phone calls proved fruitless. The dispatcher at AAA told me he’d contact a local garage and I should wait for the call. In the meantime, I tried first to contact my mechanic then my husband. As I sat there dialing the phone, the traffic kept coming, some waiting their turn patiently, others beeping horns and one or two shouting rudely out their windows. I wondered, “do those drivers really think I’m stopped here to make a phone call, or for fun?!”
Early
in the process, a man stopped his car and came across the road towards me. He asked me if I was stuck. I explained my problem and said I was trying
to arrange a tow. Two other gentlemen
appeared and the 3 of them tried to move the car. It wouldn’t budge. They made a second attempt but the car was
stuck fast refusing to move from its precarious position about 15 feet from the
traffic lights at the corner. I was
resigned to my predicament and tried to ignore those drivers obviously annoyed
at me being in their path; it was Christmas week and everyone had places to go
and not enough time to get there.
By now, Clare, who had been very patiently sitting in her seat, watching the scene unfold began to get in on the act, turning around in her seat and signaling to the cars coming up behind us, by waving her arm in a circling motion, to drive around. This made me smile and provided some light relief in the midst of our affliction.
When the AAA tow truck company contacted me, I
was told it might be five o’clock in the afternoon before they came (it was
only about noon). Even explaining my
hazardous position and the traffic situation didn’t seem to make a difference
to my prospective rescuer. Somewhat frustrated
I hung up and redialed the AAA. I was
informed that my assigned number for this request was 3177 meaning that there
were 3,177 calls to AAA that morning and I would have to wait my turn, even if
it took 5 hours. By now I was becoming
aggravated and worried about the traffic and the dangerous situation Clare and
I were in. Another phone call to my
mechanic secured me a tow truck within about 40 minutes or so
In the midst of my second round of phone calls, I noticed in the rear view mirror a large white van pulling up behind me, stopping close to the car. Next, I became aware of a young man standing by my window. A warm smile greeted me and a gentle, friendly voice asked, “having some trouble?” “Yes, I said, the car’s stuck”. “Have you tried to move it”, he asked. I explained about the 3 gentlemen’s efforts to push the car to no avail. When he asked if I was OK, I said I would be fine and that a tow truck was on the way as was my husband. I could soon take Clare out of the traffic and leave him with the car to wait for the tow truck.
As casually as if he was asking me directions to the nearest diner, he said “well, I have nothing better to do this morning and I can see you have the baby in the car so I’m just going to sit behind you until someone arrives because my car’s bigger than yours and I’d much rather they hit me than hit you since they’ll do more damage to you than me. I’ll just sit in my van and wait”.
His words completely bowled me over – “I’d much rather they hit me than hit you”?!. Amidst all this aggravation and lack of compassion, here was a complete stranger willing to put himself in danger for me and my daughter without a moment’s thought for himself, or the slightest concern for the damage which I was sure would be sustained to his truck! I blurted out “oh, you don’t need to do that!” But he said, again very casually and matter-of-factly, “It’s OK, I’ll just stay behind you just in case”.
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. My shield was a complete stranger who could see the imminent danger in the scene which met him as he turned the corner and his reaction was to put himself between me, my little daughter and our car and any possible danger.
To say that this man was My Angel is a gross understatement. I have never forgotten him or his total disregard for his own safety. What sticks with me is the fact that this act of love and kindness restored my faith in man and made me think “There is a God”.
After a time, my husband arrived on the scene, we switched cars and I put Clare into the other vehicle, my Angel waiting patiently for us to make the exchange. I walked back to thank him for stopping and to try to give him some idea of how grateful I was. I was ashamed to only find a $20 bill in my wallet (I wanted to at least buy him lunch). With a raised hand he refused to be compensated and his final words to me completely choked me up and overwhelmed me. “Maybe one day I will have a family of my own and they will be in trouble and need some help. Perhaps someone will do the same for them”. I was too overcome to even ask his name. All I could force out was “Merry Christmas. God Bless You”. We waved to each other as I got into my husband’s car. He will be forever in my prayers.
May God Bless You Always, My Christmas Angel.
When have you noticed an angel appear in your life?
Peace & blessings,
Linda