A Happy Ending

Most travel is best of all in the anticipation or the remembering; the reality has more to do with losing your luggage. ~Regina Nadelson

I wonder how many people really think of having trouble when they start out on a journey. Whether it is a vacation, work, a casual trip to visit relatives or friends, or the urgent need to be on time for a relatives funeral.

My journey several weeks  or so ago reminded me quickly a simple highway intersection can change everything.

It started out innocently enough

Left from home early one afternoon on an urgent journey. I had plenty of time to get there. After spending the night with my sister-in-law who lives 4 hours from my home, I was off on an "easy" drive of about 850 miles.

The adventure all came about because of my obsessive need to take pictures.The morning was lovely, the pickup was doing wonderfully   .................... About 1 and 1/2 hours into the drive and 2 stops for pictures, I realized that I was on the wrong highway. Thank goodness it was not too far down the road so quick drive back to the intersection in Watonga, OK  and found the right highway. A quick pit stop and on my way. Since the gas tank was full, there was no need to stop for over about 3 hours. 

The weather changed about an hour later and there was a fast, heavy rain that left brown water spilling over the road.  I didn't see it because the windshield wipers couldn't keep up.  The pickup hit the water and slowed down very fast. Things flew off the seat and chaos. A few very scary seconds and off again.  I reached the town of Alva, OK and found a gas station to get a coke and calm down.

NO BILLFOLD.

It is amazing how fast one can think in a crisis.  I asked where the police station was.  When I got there, no one was in the office. It was a Saturday, the bank was closed.  .............................

There were literally no people on the downtown square.  Cars passing but no pedestrians.  I wandered around in the rain until I found the Sheriff's office.  A deputy was there and looked up the station I had stopped at in Watonga, Oklahoma.I called and  verified  that the station was on the correct corner, and was told  it was but no billfold had been turned in.

It is a very lonely feeling to know you are in a strange city with no money and no identification.  The odd thing? I was not scared. Just a bit overwhelmed with the situation and my mind racing.

My first thought was I didn't want to call my husband because he was over 8 hours away. The next thought was to call my sister in law where I had spent the night. This was about 4 hours away. I thought  her phone number had been transferred to  my new cell phone. It was not.

I had my laptop with me and needed to get on the Internet to find her phone number.  I walked around the square and chose a sewing machine/fabric store as nothing else seemed to be open and met a nice couple. the owners.  I asked the woman  if there was a Mac Donald's or someplace with Wifi so I could look up the numbers.  She said I could use her computer instead.  She actually ended up locating the phone numbers for me.
Her husband had come into the store about this time. She told him what had happened and while I was speaking to my niece, he went into an office and got on his cell phone to contact Traveler's Aid.  My niece also called Traveler's Aid. This was going on as I was trying to think of what else to do.  The husband had also called the police and made arrangements for someone to  meet us at the station.

He walked me to the station and introduced me to the officer and left. The officer helped me get in touch with my credit card company to cancel my card. He also said he would write up a report to explain why I was driving without my driver's license. He also reminded me to go to the police in Watonga and fill out a stolen billfold report.

While talking with the officer, man quietly entered the room and sat off to the side.When the officer and I were finished the man introduced himself as a preacher from Traveler's Aid, there to help me decide what to do. I said I felt it was best for me to return to my sister in law's as I was pretty sure I had enough gas to get that far. From there to contact my husband and tell him I was coming home. I also said I had crackers, water and a blanket and pillow in the truck. I always travel with this bit of security.

This lovely gentleman told me that if I needed to get to South Dakota, they could arrange for a flight there? That memory is a bit hazy, but I am pretty sure that is what he said.
In my mind, I would still be without money or credit card when it was time to return home.  Of course, when I calmed down, I realized I could stay with family in South Dakota  and wait for the new credit card.

His next offer was to top off my gas tank and let me get on my way home. He gave me directions to the gas pump a few blocks away and filled my tank. He also took my hand and put a 20 dollar bill in it and said "Just in case you get hungry."
I did have the presence of mind to ask for names or cards so I could thank them later.

I found the Mac Donald's and after a quick bite, headed back home.  An hour or so later, I was in Watonga. As soon as I arrived at the intersection where I had connected with the correct highway earlier that morning, I instantly recognized the gas station.  There were 2 gas stations on that intersection and I had called the wrong one. I didn't remember there being more than one.

I pulled into the parking lot and entered the store.  When I walked to the counter and introduced myself as being there earlier in the morning, she beamed at me and said "Yes you left your orange billfold here and we have been waiting for you."  I called my sister in law and told her I had my billfold and all was intact and I still had time to get to the funeral.

Now, here is where things get interesting.  While I was getting ready for my trip, I went to the bank and wrote a check for $500.00. I don't know why.................Any other time, I would carry about $300.00 plus my credit card.

I now had enough cash for 2 nights lodging, if necessary,  food and hopefully,  gas.

When I finally got to my destination, I began telling family members of my journey.  Knowing I had a blog, they all said I had to tell my story.

I am not an overly religious person, but I know I was being cared for.

My brother in law was a veteran of WWII and to be buried in the National Cemetery in South Dakota.  The 21 gun salute and the lone bugler playing taps was so fitting for this  lovely man. My sister (his wife of 65 years) had passed away a month earlier and is also buried there.