Chivalry IS Dead...Well Almost

I know, the title of the post is so cliche', yet when I needed a Knight in Armor to help me as I was stranded on the side of the road with a flat yesterday. Not a single one arrived.
I was SHOCKED! Here is why:

1. I was stranded on the side of the highway that connects the two "small" towns that we live between. Hundreds of vehicles passed me.

2. I was there for over an hour, fumbling with a car jack, looking quite clueless.

3. I look VERY girly. I'm not one of those tough looking girls that could use power tools or something. I wear dresses and make up and am sadly not at all buff. One of my best friends IS however one of those buff power tool kinda girls, and she WOULD have stopped.

4. I was driving a little white chick car (my husbands words not mine).

5. Here is the big one... Dozens of cars that drove by KNEW ME. Anyone that knows me could easily guess, I don't know how to change a tire (or even know where to find my car jack). They could have guessed that I was on my way to pick my kids up at school (as I was only 2 miles away from it and the school day was about to end).

Not ONE person stopped to see if I needed help. Not one offer of a phone call. Nothing. I actually had several people stop me later and ask how the car troubles went (because they saw me stranded on the road). "Fine, no thanks to you!" Didn't actually say it, but I thought it REALLY hard.

Now I can't change a tire, but I'd like to think if I saw a woman on the side of the road, I'd at least stop and ask if I could call someone. I HAVE stopped before for an elderly couple, and my husband stops for EVERYONE!

My mother raised both me AND my brother to think of others in need. To this day I am still amazed by the way my brother will reach out to help a stranger. So I guess I foolishly have the same standards for others.

This entire experience brings back memories of our last flat tire several years ago. We were on the way to my mom's house for the weekend and traveling along the Washington State freeways. We had 4 kids and a cat in our mini van. The tire blew and we ended up on the side of the freeway trying to put on a spare. Again no one stopped. Nearly an hour passed as the cars zoomed by, and all I could think was "people suck". Then finally a small pick up truck with an old Asian man pulled up behind us. My heart swelled. I thought to myself, "so this is what a TRUE hero looks like"! As he got out of his truck, he turned away from our vehicle unzipped his pants and peed. Yup, you heard me right. HE PEED! Then he hopped back in his truck and drove away. I can't even share my thought with y'all on this one. I'm trying to keep my blog rated PG-13 here.

Now we get to the "Well Almost" part of the title. Someone did come to my rescue. Someone called the school, got my kids, picked me up, replaced my flat, AND bought me cold meds (I forgot to mention I was quite sick during this whole ordeal). The REAL hero of this story is my husband.

So, while it may seem that Chivalry is dead, there ARE a few knights in shinning armor still out there (or maybe knights in business suits wearing Tommy Bahama cologne). Oh and yes, he DID change my tire in his suit!

I know my husband, and he didn't only come to my rescue because I'm his wife, that's just what he does. Like I mentioned earlier, he stops for EVERYONE. I can't tell you how many times we have been late because he stopped by the side of the road to help a commuter in need. I LOVE that about him. In a world with so few willing to take the time... I married one of the last true heroes!