In an earlier blog, I indicated that I would publish some excerpts from memoirs.  This is the first installment.

In 1966, I met who would become my wife when she was in school in Beaumont, Texas.  Upon graduating, she returned to Chicago to fulfill a commitment she had made to her mother.  After several months living/working in Chicago during a very cold and snowy winter, I finally convinced her that if we were to continue our relationship,  she was going to have to return to Texas where I lived.  She finally agreed indicating that I would have to drive up there to move her back to Texas.  This normally would not have been any problem....except that my car happened to be a very small two seat Austin Healey sports car. 

But, we were young, and love conquers all.  I took a few days off from work to make an extra long weekend, and drove to Chicago.  We stuffed her personal belongings and anything else that we could back behind the seat in the area normally reserved for a trunk (Austin Healey's didn't have a trunk).  Everything that we couldn't get into the car, we strapped on the rear of the car and headed for Texas.  I'm sure we must have looked like something out of the movie "The Great Race" where they carried all their spare parts and luggage wherever they could fasten it down.

There were several different routes that can be taken from Chicago to Beaumont,Texas.  I have absolutely no idea why we chose to travel U.S.Highway 51 that runs more or less down through the middle of Illinois, into and through Kentucky, and then in to Tennessee.  Since this trip took place back in 1966, I also don't remember just what freeways/interstates were available.  But, our plans were to take this Hwy 51 to Memphis where we would cross over the Mississippi River and continue to Texas.

Everything was going well, and pretty much to plan.  By nightfall we had entered Tennessee, and had hoped to make it to Memphis before stopping for the night.  But, soon after entering Tennessee we passed through a police roadblock - a couple of inmates had escaped from a prison and they were checking vehicles. (One glance at us and they knew we certainly didn't have room for anyone else!)

Then, several miles further down the road on that pitch black moonless night I heard a sudden rush of all the radiator coolant draining.  I knew it had to be serious to lose all the coolant that fast.  Immediately the engine temperature started rising, so I pulled of the highway.  There we were .... out somewhere, no flashlight, and not a light of any kind in sight!  My next thought was of how far from that roadblock had we come as I certainly wasn't looking forward to facing a couple of escaped inmates.

My heavens was it dark out there!  I couldn't see ten feet.  The only light that I had was a cigarette lighter (remember those?).  I had no idea what I was going to do next when before long this old black gentleman and his family happened along, and going our way.  I don't remember if I flagged him down, or he just took mercy on us and stopped, but it was a blessing!  So I explained what had happened, and that without a flashlight, I had no idea what the problem was.    He suggested  we get some water and pour it in the radiator to see where it was coming out.  I asked how far we'd have to go to get that water.  He replied that we could get it at that barn that was just across the fence from where we were!  I hadn't seen any barn, and still didn't even after he said that.  But he dug through the stuff he had in the trunk of his car and came up with a rather beat up old bucket.  After getting the water, we poured it into the radiator, but it drained out as fast as we poured it in. 

By this time my thoughts were only of getting my future wife and her belongings to safety, so that I could attempt to get repairs made on the car.  Well, the old black gentleman offered to tow me in.  I asked if he knew where and how far he was planning to tow us when he remarked that we were at the very outer edge of a town, and that there was a truck stop just on the other side of town.  Not having seen any lights at all, I began to wonder if he knew what he was talking about, but decided that since he knew about the water at the barn that I didn't see, I would trust his judgement.  And, again he rummaged through the trunk of his car and came up with some sort of strap (the stuff he carried around in his trunk was awesome) and towed me into the truck stop.

We had no more than pulled into that truck stop when a couple of truckers came over to see what the problem was.  We decided to get more water, and with light that a trucker supplied,  determined that a coolant drain plug on the back of the engine had vibrated out, and was obviously lost somewhere back on the road.  Now, I knew that little English car used Metric sizing, so my thoughts were 'where the heck am I going to find a Metric plug that would fit when one of the truckers went back over to his truck and started digging through his spare parts.  He did find a plug that was Metric and did fit!

I have so many times thought about this situation over the years.  How was it that that old black gentleman and his family just happen to be passing by then.  How was it that a trucker had a Metric plug in his American made truck (that only used standard  SAE sizes). 

I was near desperation that night.  I was so fearful for my soon to be wife.  But, the one thing I'm now sure of is that we had a guardian angel looking after us that evening.  I don't think it was just 'luck' that the old black gentleman and his family just happened along that late at night.  And how was it that the trucker just happened to have the exact metric size plug in his truck tool box?   

I thanked those truck drivers, and the old black gentleman and his family from the bottom of my heart.  I offered to pay them, but none would accept a single cent.  I didn't get their names, but perhaps one day I will be able to thank them again. 

 Oh, and by the way, my wife and I are still married - forty two years later.

Yep, it looked just like this one!

I wish I had it back.  It would be worth a lot of money now.

Trust in the Lord.

Lee