Truckin'

Last weekend the four of us were doing our annual winter hay load up.  We go to the farmer’s big red barn and stack hay in the bed of our old Ford pickup truck.  We then drive home and unload it and head back to the farm for more.  We do these trips until we have enough hay stored to get the animals through the winter.  We usually accomplish our goal within the course of a few weekends during the fall.  On this day we were returning home, loaded up with our third load for the weekend, contemplating coming back for a fourth.  And then it happened – smoke started billowing out from under the hood and the steering wheel became hard to turn.  We pulled into the nearest gas station and popped the hood to see why the truck was overheating.  There, caught in the fan, was the serpentine belt - the belt that is responsible for keeping the coolant and power steering fluid pumping and the battery charging.  We were still miles from home and we had to decide to either leave the truck and call for a ride or take our chances getting home.  We chose the latter.  With the hood popped, radio off, and nerves of steel my husband turned the key and we prayed the truck would start again.

The drive home was an interesting one.  It required a lot of concentration and a little bit of laughter.  Our mission was simple – get home before the truck overheats or dies.  In order to do that we had to make sure we didn’t get stuck at any red lights or behind someone at a crawl.  It meant building up enough speed going up the hills so we could comfortably coast down thus allowing the truck to cool.  We figured the closer we got to home the easier it would be to get help if we did decide pulling over was our best option.  We were co-pilots checking gauges, scanning for on-coming traffic, and keeping our passengers calm and happy.  The 20 minutes seemed like forever with every sense heightened and our brains running through options and scenarios.  I was glad for once not to be the one in control of a situation; not to be the one responsible for tough decisions and even tougher steering.

During the drive it occurred to me that the situation was only as bad as we allowed ourselves to make it out to be.  Sure the truck was in critical condition.  Sure we had 40 bales of hay that needed to get transported home.  Sure we had the kids with us and it was freezing out.  But we also had experience, knowledge, and each other.  That’s the beauty of being a seasoned traveler. We’ve seen enough and learned enough over the years to know how to handle the unexpected and to handle it without panic or fear.  We couldn’t predict what the next mile of our winding-road journey would bring but we could pay attention to what was happening as it was happening.  I made sure I relayed to the children just how important it was to pay attention to things as they happen and to store the knowledge for use at a later date.  One day they might find themselves in a similar situation and this story will be one that they remember. I couldn’t help but to share a similar story from my youth with them because it’s one that has stuck with me for decades and made me see my dad for the MacGyver he truly is.

When I was about my middle schooler’s age, my dad and I were transporting all my pets from home in NJ to the country home in NY.  It was the end of the school year and I was gearing up for a summer in the country.  Of course every critter I owned had to come with me so the truck was loaded with bunnies and ferrets and hamsters – no pet left behind.  Dad was behind the wheel of our old red Chevy pickup and I was on the passenger side of the bench.  I’m sure we weren’t engaged in any great conversation while cruising up the NYS Thruway when the truck started to overheat.  Dad pulled over to assess the situation.  I can’t recall all the mechanics of it but I do recall this: a gasket was bad and needed to be replaced and the radiator needed to be filled.  This is where his genius shined.  He took out his pocket knife and made a new gasket out of an old tissue box.  Then we filled old soda bottles with puddle water in order to top off the radiator.  Before long we were back on the road to finish our journey laughing and talking about an experience that we will forever share.  On that day I learned two valuable lessons.  The first was my Dad is awesome. The second was that when the unexpected happens try to problem solve before panicking.  Both those lessons have served me well.  I hope my own children will glean similar knowledge from their dad.

So, today as my husband and I are preparing to head out for another load of hay in our old Ford pickup (with its new serpentine belt which he expertly installed within minutes) I’m left to wonder about an even bigger journey.  For most of us life’s journey isn’t a straight shot from A to Z.  We don’t just decide we want to arrive at a destination and reach it.  We work at it in increments.  We get side tracked, turned around, and detoured until we finally arrive realizing that our journey was more winding than expected and is still far from over.  Sometimes we even end up right back where we started.  But we gain valuable experience along the way either from mistakes and failures or from successes and surprises.  We learn to expect that each twist and turn may reveal a temporary setback or an invaluable promotion.  Sometimes the two are hand in hand.   We are all travelers on the same road; each of us having a unique travel experience.  Some of us are temporarily stalled while others are racing ahead.  Regardless, we all need to make the best of it by staying present while looking ahead because the knowledge we gain today will come in handy tomorrow.  I like to think I’m just cruising along at a comfortable pace - fast enough to get somewhere but slow enough to handle twists and turns or full on breakdowns.  I’m also fortunate enough to have a good road trip partner.  Someone who understands that sometimes I just can’t be in the driver’s seat and that is a luxury we should all be lucky to have.