Adventure at the Outer Banks continued...

By 4:00pm we were back to the ferry enjoying the sea breeze and the seagulls that made the ferry their home. We drove around Hatteras Island, visited the famous Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the tallest in the nation and famous symbol of North Carolina. If adventurous and healthy, one can climb up its 268 steps for a spectacular view of the national seashore.

By 6:00pm, I urged the girls to leave and start the trip back to our hotel in Nags Head. I wanted to take sunset photos at Pea island Bird Sanctuary along the way, although I did not tell them my plan fearful that they would prefer to go straight to the hotel for a swim in the pool. They were singing along with Jack Johnson, one of their favorite entertainers. A singer-songwriter, accomplished professional surfer and filmmaker, I have learned to adopt him and his songs during long road trips. After all, I am a “hip mom”. All of a sudden we heard a loud bang and a hissing sound from nowhere.

“Do you think a soda bottle just popped?”, my innocent inquiry.
“I wonder if it’s the tire”, Alexa’s smart reply.

Immediately, I stopped the car at the sandy embankment for inspection. And sure enough, in that lonely sandy road between Avon and Rodanthe, where the tall sand dunes are on our right and the marshy bird sanctuary on our left, we had a flat tire. With long dusty road ahead and clouds were getting darker by the minute, we became three damsels in distress and no man in sight to help us. I thought of dialing 711 to ask for a tow truck and then realized it is such a long, long way from the mainland. I wanted to teach my girls a lesson of being ready for any emergency. So I then blurted out, “Get out of the car and help me put the spare tire in.”

“Have you done it before?” was Kristina’s curt question.
“No, but I’ve seen Papa do it several times in the past. We can do it.”
“No way,” said Alexa.
“It would help if you both get out of the car and show your pretty faces to the drivers who will pass this way. Nobody might help an elderly lady, but these young men will certainly stop to help two pretty young girls like you.” I challenged them.
“No Mom, I refuse to be a damsel in distress. Show me what to do.” Kristina quipped.

By then, I had the jack out and had positioned it underneath the car while the girls tried to get the spare tire out. Breathing deeply and sending silent prayers to the Unseen Helper, I gave the girls instruction as to how to position the tire.

By Raylene Ann Rodrigo-Baumgart