I left Paul and Jill’s cabin some time between 9:00 and 10:00.
On the single lane “main road” ahead of me there was a camper kicking up dust. At one point I saw their brake lights when they slowed for a runner on the shoulder, but otherwise I could barely see for all the dust they were kicking up. I backed off.
As I went around a bend a few minutes later, I saw what seemed to be the camper pulled over with its flashers blinking. But as I got closer, I could see two people behind a Lowe’s delivery truck. One was standing, and the other was sitting on the bank of sand on the side of the road.
I slowed down and rolled down a window.
“You guys ok?”
The first guy said he was trying to fix the lift gate which was collapsed on the gravel behind the truck. He had his phone in one hand and some tools on the back of the truck.
“Do you have phone service?” I asked. “I can call someone when I get to Newberry.”
I couldn’t understand his answer, so I got out the the car and walked over and introduced myself. The first guy was Joseph, and the second was Jose. Joseph talked about trying to raise the lift gate so that they wouldn’t have to wait. Jose sat vaguely smiling but otherwise saying nothing.
“The last time this happened,” Joseph said, “they didn’t send anyone until late in the day.”
“Do you have water?” I asked.
“Two bottles.”
I turned and went to the car and opened my ice chest.
“Here,” I said, handing them a half gallon of water.
Joseph said that he had cell service and mumbled again about fixing the lift gate.
“I’m won’t be much use to you,” I said. Then I asked, “What about food? Do you have anything to eat?”
They didn’t. I was imagining them stuck on the side of this forlorn one-lane road waiting hours for help to arrive. So I went back to the car and pulled out a jar of peanut butter, a bag of cashews, and a box of crackers.
“Here,” I said, setting the food on the back of the truck. “This isn’t much, but it might help … although I’m not sure how you’ll deal with the peanut butter. You’ll figure something out.”
Joseph smiled. “Thanks. We’ll figure something out.”
Joseph and I talked a bit more. Jose continued to sit on the sand. Then I said I needed to get going.
“Good luck, you guys!”
“Thanks,” Joseph said. “I appreciate you.”