THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER

©The Tow Truck Driver

Just before Christmas 2004, I backed my van out of the garage to discover I had a flat tire. Oh joy I thought, it was dark, cold and raining and now a flat tire! I locked up the van and went back into the house to call for service. Well, that didn’t go too well either as it was over an hour later that the tow truck driver finally arrived. And he wouldn’t have arrived that soon had he not called me directly for directions. It seems the tow company dispatcher couldn’t read a map. The poor tow truck driver had been sent everywhere but my house.

The driver told me he had been on duty for twelve hours that day. He told me he had volunteered to cover another driver’s shift, as they were short handed. I’m certain this wild goose chase, was the last thing he needed that night. As he was working to get my tire changed, he told me the following story:

He told me his two children were in the tow truck sound asleep. He had left the tow truck engine running, to keep the kids warm. There they were in the truck, two little boys, 2 and 3 years old, sound asleep in their jammies, cozy and warm. He went ahead to tell me that he had just won custody of the children after fighting a lengthy battle in court with his Ex-wife. He said that he chose to drive nights so his wife would be with the children at night and then he would be with them while his wife worked days. He said he didn’t want the boys to be in childcare.

He told me a couple of nights he got off early and came home to an empty house, no sign of his wife or children. He had not received a phone call and there was not even a note. He said she lied and made up an excuse, he decided to give her the benefit of the doubt this first time. He said the second time it happened he realized that something was very wrong. He said he also talked with neighbors the next morning and found out this had been going on for sometime.

He said he found out, that while he was at work his wife had been going out to bars and leaving the kids with whomever she could find. She would make sure to be home before he returned from work.

Here this man was working a twelve hour day to provide for his children and had them right there in the tow truck with him. He was doing the best he could at the time. He said he had found a trustworthy childcare provider earlier that day which would care for his children starting the next day.

He was so happy, and had a big grin on his face as he was telling me his story. I could tell he would move mountains for his little boys if need be. I admired and respected him for these things. As he drove away, I thought to myself, there goes a real daddy, thank you God. Lord, please give this man the strength of two parents and please throw in some special blessings for those little boys too. And Lord please let them always know how much they are loved!

I will never forget the story this tow truck driver shared with me that night. I truly believe that my tire was flat for a reason, for this man needed to tell his story.