A Tight Spot

I can never quite get over the kindness of strangers in the most awkward of circumstances.

 

We were particularly reminded of this only last night when Dearly Beloved rounded a very tight bend only to meet two cars which our side of the white line and heading towards us. He swerved but got caught on the edge of the road and drove in to the ditch. It was truly frightening experience. Being a passenger, I was on the side of the car that was closer to the ditch and got a very close andfar too intimate view of the grass and mud that now covers our car.  

I screamed as we slowly bumped to a halt, and we lay, dazed, on our sides for a while. But in front and behind us, other drivers were stopping, putting on their hazard lights and rushing to help us. They talked to us, switiching to English rapidly, checking that we were not hurt, and we said we would be alright - we had road side assistance insurance and neither of us needed an ambulance. They went on at our request.  

Again, someone stopped while Dearly B was trying to call the number given on the insurance card. This card does not, incidentally, show up well at night in thick fog in the middle of farmland with no street lighting. This Samaritan said he would wait until we were sure we would get assistance; otherwise, he would call his own insurance company to come and help us out. Once reassured, he went on his way.  

I managed to get out of the car, none too elegantly, by treating my side door as a floor and the driver’s door as a hatch. People continued to slow down as they went past, and called out to see if they could help. We stood some way behind the car on a rough patch of ground between the fields and waved reassuringly at the passers by who all slowed down; some called out, and one lady drove off the road to see if she could do anything for us. In all about 30 people must have cared for our safety that evening.  

We also realised that we did not know anyone immediately local. We were also in a strange, middle of the fields place that only locals would know. Many of our friends and contacts would not be able to get there without us giving instructions. Shocked as we were, we were not particularly coherent. We called a practical chap who we thought would be at the meeting we had set out for, and therefore nearer than he would usually have been…but he was in Provence. Mobile phones are great in these circumstances, but one does have some strange conversations with folks in the oddest of places. Not that Provence is odd of course…it’s just that it is not near enough to be of any use to someone in the middle of a field in Luxembourg.

 

A young fireman in his jeep pulled over to see how things were.

 “Yes,” he said “This bend is legendary. Too many people come round it too fast and they end up in the field over there.”

Our hostess called to check and offered to stay on the phone until help came. If I had been on my own, this would have been very welcome, but DB was there and we were managing - but what a kind and lovely thought. DB called our Heroic Chaplain to see if he could come and take me home, out of the cold. He arrived within half an hour, just in front of the recovery truck. He had brought a warm blanket and I snuggled up in the car, defrosting,  while he offered prayerful assistance to DB and the Truck Man, who were working out how best to get a car out of ditch without wrenching it apart.

In the end, they all leant on the car to balance it better so that DB could reverse it out of the ditch ready to be loaded on to the truck. So, our Heroic Chaplain was in good time to give us both a lift home and to join us for tea and toast, while the poor battered car was taken off. 

Next day, DB needed to fill in the Insurance forms - challenging enough, but in French, they are somewhat overwhelming. Luckily, a secretary at the office took it in hand. We had numerous phone calls and texts from church friends and work colleagues. Physically we are ok, if a little strained in places, and we did not sleep very well.

 

So, my conclusion for today is, that even when one does something really rather daft, people are still kind and helpful, compassionate and practical. Isn’t that wonderful?

 

Addi.