... and today I met all of them.
Last night, I had my roommate put a reminder on my dashboard post-it collection to go into the shop and check the tire pressure in my car. I had noticed that it was eating gas, but the warning light came on last night and I had refilled the tire with air. Evidently, the post it reminder and intention to stop by the garage this afternoon wasn't fast enough for Xica. (Yes, I named the car)
2 and 1/2 hours of waiting later with a flat (read: completely ruined/blown out tire) on I-55 for the tow truck... I realized that this was the best of all possible bad Mondays. It was just a flat - the warning light came on again 30 seconds before it blew, and I had slowed down already when it blew. No massive accident or sudden shock induced swerving. No one was hurt, and no damage to the car.
Surprisingly, I met more kind people today than I do usually any day. Two different IDOT people stopped and checked that I was ok. A state trooper stopped by and asked if I had a spare (Thanks Ford! I in fact did not. An air pump is not effective in place of a spare when there is a gaping hole in the rubber...) Even the person who was dispatched to change the flat but couldn't without the spare was kind and helpful... [Does anyone else see a theme here?]
Once the tow truck arrived, I felt transported to a weird reality. It's been so long since I've been dependent on the kindness of strangers that it was disconcerting. As Xica was loaded up onto the truck, my sense of independence and willpower shrunk. I felt incredibly responsible and guilty. I wouldn't have gotten through this morning without breaking down in tears if I hadn't been for the multiple kind and gentle souls who helped me out.
Waiting by the side of the road, you can't help but see people pass you by. You start to count exactly how many are passing you by without seeing you in your moment of crisis. This feeling made me wonder what I want Xavier to be doing with his life.
How is it that you raise a gentleman? I want him to be the generous person who stopped for me today just to check and see if I was ok. I want him to be the kind person who gave me advice on what to do next. I want him to be the type of person who has empathy for others - especially those in crisis.
Today made me realize that it doesn't matter what Xavier chooses as his profession - it matters how he treats others. Sure, a college/grad school education would be wonderful, but ultimately, I want him to be a kind, generous, and considerate man. Because, I never want to believe that there are no gentlemen left.
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