passing through Neeses, South Carolina, on my way to the OSP South event in Charleston. I had just talked with Chet Bell, my roomie for the week who was sitting at the airport in Charleston with my other roomie Timco. We talked about when I would arrive at the hotel, because the room was in my name, and they would need to get in. I assured him that I was on track to arrive at about 4:30. You know how to make God laugh? Make your own plan.
As I turned from Highway 301 on to SC4 my truck decided not to go. It just didn’t move. And there was traffic coming at me. I was coasting, and made it through the intersection into a Pilot station. I got out, did the man thing and opened the hood like I was going to fix it with no tools. Right. Then I looked around. Where was I? At the gas station in the parking lot of the Piggly Wiggly. The station was just a pump & pay, so no help there. The flea market across the street was closed, as was the tractor supply on the next street. There was the Piggly Wiggly, and a chicken joint. I went to the Piggly Wiggly looking for someone to tell me where I was first, and if there was any hope of a mechanic in town. I found Jason Creech, the manager, who was the only guy in this town not from there. But he called Mr. T over, who called his son over, who determined that I needed to get in touch with Pete. Pete was the “go-to guy” for auto help in Neeses, SC.
Glenn came in about 20 minutes with the wrecker. Glenn is Pete’s son. He checked the fuel pump pressure, since that was what fit the symptom’s, but it was fine. Meanwhile Allyson was on the web for me and found that I was about 20 miles from Whatley Ford in Orangeburg. I called Allan Viigil back in Fayetteville, and found out that my truck was still under warranty, so instead of Pete’s garage fixing it he towed it to Whatley Ford for me. There I met Kiesha, the service writer, and Roger, the mechanic. They got me back on the road before 6pm. Turns out that Kiesha’s birthday was today, and she had told Roger that she wanted him to get her some Krispy Kreme doughnuts. What do you think I had stopped and bought in Riverdale on the way out that morning? So Kiesha got those Krispy Kremes.
As I looked back on it I saw that God had the right people in place to handle the trouble that came my way yesterday. And then He blessed me by letting me be the person in the right place for Kiesha’s birthday wish. It’s a small thing I know, but how cool is it that God took care of even that little detail. He’s good like that.
All told I was out 2 1/2 hours, and a little under $300. Not really that bad as car trouble in the middle of nowhere goes, huh?
