the art of bus towing

so-
I was doing my tuesday night routine last night- at 5pm I left for dinner at outback.
I like to go and sit in the bar, open my bible, open my journal,
eat some soup, watch some baseball-
it’s a very relaxing way to get ready for tuesday night bible study.
at 6:20, I went over to the Shawnee campus to pick up students to take them to church.
we had a full bus for the first time ever. we actually turned away several students.
they still had a ride though.
when I went to start the bus, it sputtered, but still started.
weird.


we drove away and after a few lights, it died at a stop light.
I started it again, and then it died at the next light.
the students cheered every time it stalled.
I tried to stay perky-
and still let them know that their cheers were not helping the situation.
we turned onto coleman, and it died for good.
sigh.





the students freaked out.
I got on the phone and called volunteers to pick them up.
I called a tow truck.
I set out the emergency triangles.
students were like, “let us out!”
“its HOT in here! we’re going to die!”
again, tried to stay perky.
it was funny to see how many church people drive by,
make eye-contact with me, and then keep on driving.


the volunteers showed up right away to pick up the students.
so there I stood, waiting for the tow truck.
I called home,
I called the mechanic,
I called my friend bruce.
I just felt like I needed to talk to someone.
I went through my phone list.
one of the first names on the list was aaron paxman.
he was one of the college students from uni.
I thought that he would be great to talk to-
he knows all about cars and stuff.
but I haven’t talked to him in months-
and who knows where he would be.
then I heard his voice!
and his girlfriend Julie!
they stopped to talk to me!
they totally cheered me up.
aaron got right to work inspecting the vehicle.
I don’t let a lot of people dig around under the hood of my bus,
but aaron looking at it was fine by me.
I told him, “I think it’s a fuel filter problem!”
(I’ve driven enough junkers to recognize the symptoms)


Julie told me a story about losing her cat-
she said, “aaron! how sad was I when I lost teddy?!”
he just look up with a straight face and said,
“like a month!”
and then got back to work.
that made me laugh.


the truck finally came.





I told him that I was glad that he brought the tow truck and not the flatbed that they brought last time. the tow truck guy said, “they put this on a flatbed?! that’s f***ing crazy!...oh…sorry about my language…”


I like tow truck guys.
I think that the whole towing process is fascinating.
and these guys are a lot like pastors.
they are around when people are in an hour of need.
and they love to help someone out.
he was telling me that he often has to go up to highway 9,
hike down a cliff sometimes 200 feet, and pull a car back up onto the road.
that sounds kind of fun to me.
he also told me about the many injuries and deaths that he sees-
and that doesn’t sound fun at all.
from the way he spoke about it, that sounds awful.
we towed the bus to the mechanic.
and hopefully it will be all better soon.
kudos to the staff the helped,
and to josh, Tidwell and john danis for covering junior high.