So I Won't Forget...July 2024
3 things I want to remember from the past month
“How important is that bolt?”
That’s what I asked Dustin at a gas station in Colby, Kansas on our way to Colorado for family vacation. The bolt from the back right tire of our van was in his hand. Our three children were still inside the vehicle blissfully unaware. After some quick google searching, we learned that Saturday afternoon in the middle of nowhere is about the worst possible time for bolts to fall off of tires. Everywhere seemed to have closed at 2PM and wasn’t reopening until Monday morning. Really disheartening news when you are over halfway to your destination and, you know, making great time.
Our only glimmer of hope seemed to be the tire shop at the Oasis Travel Center so we limped our way over there and Dustin walked inside. Meanwhile I’m fielding questions from the backseat at the delightfully elevated volume of children with headphones on: “WHAT ARE WE DOING? WHERE IS DAD GOING? WHAT DID YOU SAY?” Dustin returned with a look of defeat. Apparently they only work on trucks at the Oasis Travel Center, not vans that just last week got four brand new tires. In my desperation, I just kept googling…tire repair near me…please. After several thumb swipes up, I found one that didn’t say closed, held my breath and called them.
I had hoped to hear the sound of a bustling business and a rapid fire “may I help you?” but instead a guy clearly in his car driving on a highway answered his personal phone. Great. When I asked if this was Mayfield Repair Shop his tone shifted from the one you use answering a spam call to a business call. Yes it was Mayfield Repair Shop, but he was closed for the day and more than an hour from Colby, Kansas. He suggested I go to…drumroll please…the Oasis Travel Center. I explained that we were right outside their front door and we didn’t know what to do. Dear stranger, I said, do you have any advice for me? It may have come out somewhat differently than this, but you get the point.
“Was the guy inside tall and really grumpy?” That was his reply. I relayed the question to Dustin sitting next to me and he confirmed. Yes, tall and really grumpy. My stranger friend on the other end of the phone told me to wait a few minutes and he would call me back. Whatever his mystery endeavor was, we were desperate enough to see it through so we sat, texted our family the latest (not much), and played out scenarios that had us staying at a dingy hotel and walking to Jimmy Johns for dinner. Just when the tears were about to flow, the call came in with this update: “He says they can take a look at it in about an hour, just head back inside.”
Whoa, ok. I thanked him profusely all the while wondering what sort of sway he had over the Oasis Travel Center. We decided that I should be the one to go back inside. We’d see how the tall really grumpy man reacted to the almost crying lady with the little boy who had to pee. Moderately less grumpy is how. He took down my information and told me they’d take a look so we filed our kids inside like we were unloading the school bus on a field trip and set up camp on the faded faux leather furniture in the lobby to hold our breaths.
What happened over the course of the next hour was the softening of a person like I’ve never seen before. Tall Grumpy Man updated us that indeed an essential bolt had not been properly reinstalled when our tires were replaced. He arranged to have the O’Reilly store in town deliver the correct new bolt and the whole fix would be $100. While we basked in the newfound hope that our drive wasn’t totally derailed, he slowly chatted with us in the lobby. I learned he doesn’t have any biological grandchildren, but some that he claims from a previous marriage. They’re on the lockscreen of his phone and he’s babysitting them next week. His name is Chris and he listens to podcasts. He thinks Cybertrucks look weird, but he’s totally curious about them. His computer system has been sidelined by the same IT issue that recently impacted major airlines and it had been a stressful week at work. At the end of our time, he shook hands with Dustin and wished us a happy trip. Chris turned out to be human as well as the former father-in-law of my stranger friend on the phone who had pleaded our case and made a way for us to get help.
When Colby, KS was in our rearview mirror, I said to Dustin: “You know I’m going to write about this.” So here I am doing what I said I would do because it was no ordinary day at the Oasis Travel Center, not for us at least. We encountered two people who had really no reason to inconvenience themselves to help us. One of them even tried not to at first, but in the end, they were kind and real and helpful with nothing to gain other than a lobby full of kids and a meager $100. I hesitate to over-spiritualize the whole story, I know that happens a lot, but I do truly believe that God was with us that day and God was with the men who helped us. He cares for them and sees their work at a tire shop in the middle of Kansas. Now I do too. Valuable work from real people who in their own small way impacted me that day. Thanks Chris and Jack Mayfield. We probably won’t see you again, but we also won’t forget that funny little afternoon we spent together. We promise to pay it forward.
So I Won’t Forget #1…Miracle Tire Shops
Now for the lightening round because I loved the previous story too much to trim it down. I keep a So I Won’t Forget note in my phone and it is holding other small treasures from the last month that don’t require me to add quite so much commentary. Here we go…
Two things my kids said to me this month that caught my attention: “You can go on Mom, we’re good!” and “Can I just walk close to you, but not hold your hand?” Yes, but I’ll cry a little and play out that one Nichole Nordeman song in my head as I reflect on the gut-wrenching passage of time and the fact that my babies are starting first grade next week.
Avett and Dustin were wrestling around one day and I heard Avett remark in a playful way that his Dad’s beard was itching his face while he kissed him. I know that feeling well because I am also the beneficiary of beard kisses (albeit slightly different ones), but what I held in my heart for a moment was a son who laughingly knows well what it feels like for his Dad to be affectionate toward him. A treasure I hope he tucks away in some small neuropathy as he grows. More beard kisses all around for us, babe.
Can we all just take a moment for Ilona Maher at the Olympics? If you haven’t followed her of social media, let me just say her content was my favorite part of the last week. Who knew women’s rugby was so cool? BUT WAIT, there’s more. Did you catch the video of her family watching her win? I am always praying and thinking about how to train our kids to love each other, like loooooooove each other, like wear t-shirts with each others’ faces on them and celebrate through tears when they win love each other. So yes, I did make our kids watch the video of her siblings cheering her on and told them “Guys, this is who we’re going to be for each other.” I also made Dustin add t-shirts with each others’ faces on them to a Christmas list. Nope, not kidding. Cue the eye rolls from everyone on Christmas morning and I do not care one bit.
So I Won’t Forget #2-4…Holding hands, beard kisses, and Ilona Maher’s family
Once again thanks for reading all the way to the end. You may have noticed that this is an essay for July and you’re reading it in August. Funny thing, I noticed that too. As I wrap up the summer and launch our kids off to school, here’s what you can expect from We Have This Hope: one more Remembering essay to round out our deep dive into scripture and a podcast episode casting the vision for what’s happening this fall.
I’ve got interviews already lined up and the first one will drop on September 5th.
Can’t wait to share it all with you!
Emily
“He cares for them and sees their work at a tire shop in the middle of Kansas. Now I do too.” What a beautiful reminder ❤️ thanks, Em