The Rural Voice, 2005-12, Page 6Carol Riemer
is a freelance
writer who
lives with her
husband and
two
children near
Grand
Valley,
Ontario.
Some gifts come in the most
unexpected ways.
I remember it was only a couple of
weeks before Christmas. I was busy
preparing for the holidays, going
through the motions, and wondering
how I would ever get through another
busy season of celebration. A sudden
cold snap had transformed the
surrounding countryside into a frost -
tinged still life. All. night long the
wind howled and, as it brought more
snow, it created a driving nightmare,
complete with whiteout conditions.
By dawn, the storm had begun to
subside and visibility improved,
Carol Riemer
A gift of chance
though the snow still continued to
fall. 1 waved goodbye to my husband,
cautioning him to drive safely as he
left for work.
I had just started clearing the
breakfast dishes, when there was a
sudden knock at the door. My first
thought was that my husband had
returned for some papers he left on
the dining room table. But instead,
there stood a young lady in her early
20s, her face frozen in anticipation.
Peering out from under a snow-
covered toque, she told me that her
car had gone off the road and asked if
she could use the phone.
As she stepped inside, I noticed
that the girl was shaking. She assured
me that she was fine, and just needed
to call for help. Picking up the phone,
I suddenly remembered the storm had
taken out our service the night before.
My husband and I thought it would
be restored by morning, but had
neglected to check. The line was still
dead.
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Norhaving a car or a cell phone at
that time, I offered the girl a cup of
coffee, but she decided to go back
and try to get a passing motorist to
call for help.
Almost an hour went by before
help arrived. There were reports on
the radio that cars and trucks were
littering the ditches from here to the
city. Seeing that her car had been
pulled back to the shoulder of the
road, I threw on my coat and walked
over to say good bye. Unfortunately,
that gesture proved a little premature.
In his haste to search for other
stranded motorists, the tow truck
operator had left her car with one flat
front tire.
We walked back to the house and,
after throwing another log on the fire.
I put on a fresh pot of coffee, and
brought out some Christmas cookies.
Devising a plan to flag down a
passing school bus, the two of us
bundled up and headed out to the
road again. I knew the driver could
radio his office and have them
contact the tow truck company.
Before long a young man arrived,
quickly changed the tire, put on the
spare and offered his sympathy that
the operator had unknowingly left the
girl stranded.
By this time, I could sense that she
was eager to be on her way. We said
our farewells on the driveway, and I
realized I wouldn't see her again.
Slowly, she started to pull away, then
stopped, leaned out of her window
and smiled.
"Thanks again, for everything,"
she called, her breath suspended in
the frosty winter air. "Merry
Christmas."
With that, the girl was gone,
disappearing into the snowy silence,
just as suddenly as she had arrived.
For a brief moment, 1 just stood there,
not quite knowing what to say.
"Thanks," I called after her, too
late to be heard. She didn't know it,
but that year Christmas had come
early. I was able to help someone
when it really counted, and for me,
that was the best present of all.°