Adventure at the Outer Banks - The Final Chapter

Within minutes, a fishing truck stopped and a handsome looking man and his wife came out. With a quick inspection, he went back to his truck and took out several emergency equipment and tools seeing that I had none in the car. Then a Sheriff’s car came and the young officer came out and assisted the fisherman. Between the two of them, they took the bad tire out and put the spare on. Without giving any lecture on how to travel safe with two young girls, I learned from these two men the importance of being always ready for road emergencies. They showed me gadgets that ought to be in any car and I learned a lot. The Police officer gave me the number of a tire shop that stays open till 9:00pm. He then called them and told them to expect us.

I took $50 from my purse and gave it to the fisherman and asked him to take his wife out for dinner. He smiled and refused politely. I gave the money to his wife who also smiled and said, “No Ma’am, we just want to help. Just help another person when an opportunity comes your way. That is your payment to us”.

With the tiny spare tire on, the journey back was slow and cautious. It was getting dark then and we were no longer in the mood for Jack Johnson’s songs. We just wanted to rest. We arrived at Manteo at All Car & Truck Repair. In spite of the hefty $217.90 we paid for two new tires, we were grateful we made it back to Nags Head at 10:00pm after a long day of adventure in the Outer Banks.

A lot of lessons learned that day:
to be always ready for the inevitable.
Be prepared for any situation while on a road trip.
Prepare the car and have the necessary gadgets for any emergency.
Have a cool head.
Do not panic.
As long as you have a smile on your face and a positive attitude any emergency situation won’t be that bad.
Remember, help is always nigh.

Lastly, remember to breathe a silent prayer no matter where you are in any circumstance. The Unseen Helper of all time will not fail you nor forsake you. He can send angels even in a lonely stretch of sandy bar in Cape Hatteras National Shoreline.

By Raylene Ann Rodrigo Baumgart