We had gotten our camper van five months earlier. We pulled into the parking lot of the King Sooper’s shopping center. Our van had an extremely difficult traveling gait. Katherine and I both jumped out to investigate, discovering we had two flat tires. We were hoping to inflate one with “fix-a-flat” and then place the spare on the second flat tire. We scavenged our van for money only to find we hadn’t any to afford a can. I hadn’t had any cleaning gigs that week and we had spent all of our plasma donations on groceries and gas. I began making the rounds in the lot, asking for help with our emergency. The first person I asked, was Aleck. Aleck, was a tall man, large stature and kind spirit; from California. He heard out my story of our situation, accompanied me to check out the problem tires. Once he saw how difficult our position was with two flat tires, he replied: “You are in ddesperateneed for tires, lets see how I can help”. He took out his cell, began searching for tire shops in the area, but most were already closed or shutting down for the day within minutes. After calling around to numerous businesses, we had no luck for the day. He promised to get back up with us the next day, we exchanged numbers and were stuck overnight there in front of the shopping strip’s laundromat.
The next day, Aleck gave us a ring. Then he accompanied us to two local tire shops (since our van has a rare tire size, it took two shops to get us tires). Aleck helped us greatly that day and bought us an entire set, to include the spare! We made small talk while the technician put the tires on and he informed us of his planned trip back home to visit. He asked if we would be interested in house sitting for him for a week. He said it would be great if we could clean his place and he could even pay us, but I let him know that we would do it for free, in repayment for the tires he purchased to help us out of the bind we found ourselves in. A week later, we met with him, got the keys and wished him a good trip. He informed us he had nanny cameras around his home, he had been robbed before. We took the seven days to deep clean his place to thank him. We had a stove to cook on, a shower to bathe in and a home base to come back too, but still just slept outside in our camper. Flat tires seem to be something we deal with frequently. I reckon that’s due to life on the road. Since moving to Oregon, we decided to explore our newest territory. One night, on a trip to Mollala, to camp in the forrest. We had been driving on a gravel road, along the river and in the camp ground area, when our van began to have the unsteady bump bump of having a flat tire. We were miles from civilazation and it was after ten oclock at night. We were in the middle of a forrest only inhabited by other campers, but who knows where they were. We didn’t want to stop in the rain, on the soft gravel road and attempt to jack up our heavy camper; we continued on until we reached the black top again. By that time, the flat tire was now a shredded tire. We gathered our supplies to change make the exchange to our spare, but when we pulled down our spare, it had gone flat. With no people in sight, the van hoisted up in the air on the jack, and it pouring down, we weren’t certain what to do. Just then, we heard a vehicle and saw lights approaching. I ran out into the pathway to flag down the motorist. It was a man named Jesus. He told us he was from these parts, grew up here but had been near the beach for ten years, until his recent trip back. He said he had friends up the road, he could ask them if they had a portable air tank he could bring. He agreed to return as soon as he found out. About half an hour passed and here came our good samaritan once again. He could only offer a hand pump for a bicycle tire and didn’t have any other solutions. He told us good luck with pumping up the spare and to stop by his camp once we had the tire on to return the pump. After a worrisome night we decided against camping in the forrest and to head on back to Portland, so as to get the tire situation handled the next day, but not before returning the hand pump. Jesus turned out to be a very friendly guy, he gave us tips on ways to make money foraging as well as gifted us the hand pump just in case. We were able to drive down the six miles to the gas station and fill the spare the rest of the way with air and limped our camper to our friend’s home. We handled the tire the next day, but new the one opposite it was soon to be in the same shape. Luckily, I had found a set of used tires still with decent tread for free on Craigslist a few months prior and had them stowed away for just such an occasion. The next day at the tire shop, I told the manager I had exactly fourty five dollars and had four tires I wanted to put the best two on the front. I told them I had recently been laid off and wouldn’t have anything more anytime soon. They informed me that they couldn’t use the tires we had due to the manufacturing date being over ten years old. I asked did this store carry used tires, and in fact they did not. However, they let me know they would be able to work something out for the tire and discounted a new one with mount and balance for the $45 exactly. A huge blessing all the way around. Like I mentioned, though, the other tire wasn’t far behind. A few weeks later, we were out away from Portland, about 30 miles away at the truck stop to shower and prepare for a doctors appointment. We had parked our camper over night at the travel center, as we usually do in order to shower upon awakening. We awoke to find our tire completly flat. I limped it over to the air pump and paid the $1.50 to air it up, but the tire wouldn’t hold air. Again we found ourselves in need of another tire. We took down the spare from under our van to find the valve stem broken, this tire wouldn’t hold air either! We had the last four dollars until plasma donation time again and didn’t know what to do. We made phone calls to the two remaining family members we have (Kat’s father and my mother) but neither could help us. We were unsure how to get out of this mess. Moments later, a gentleman approached and said he would give us money when he got done showering, he could tell by the looks of things, we were in a pinch. When he was done, he delivered a twenty, wished us luck and was on his way. I walked next door to the truck parts store and they had valve stem repair kits, just what we needed. I returned to the camper, we were able to solve the valve stem issue, but the jack wouldn’t lift the front end far enough to get the tire on! Oh no. So, I spent the better part of an hour asking truckers, travelers and the truck stop itself, if they had a larger jack or floor jack I could use. No luck. Finally, a person agreed to help. When he came over and I saw him up close, I saw he had blue skin. Being a nurse, I know this is a rare disorder that causes the blue skin. Turns out, he was a very kind person from Pennsylvania on the opposite coast for work. He explained he was married and we chit-chatted as Kat and I got the wheel changed with the assistance of his floor jack. We had just dumped our septic, was at the gas station to clean out our trash, wash my hands, fill up with fuel and be on our way; when I noticed a young guy with a flat tire, trying to get the tools together to change to his spare. I couldn’t walk on by when I’ve needed help in that situation before, what would it hurt to ask. Trent he said to call him, wasn’t able to change the tire with the jack that accompanied the small car. I quickly offered up mine and he told me he wasn’t really sure how to work them. I obliged and changed his tire with his help. We spoke briefly about how far he should drive on the donut and he said he was homeless. He had moved from Arizona on a whim, he was 18 and wanted a fresh start. He said his dad could send him some money the next day to get it handled but that he didn’t even eat supper yet. I gave him some food, water and our number in case he needed anything else. Without the kindness of strangers we wouldn’t be this far along. I’m glad that so far all life’s flat tires have turned into good stories..
2 Comments
Anne
10/27/2016 10:10:34 am
Why did the new set of tires that Aleck bought for you, including the spare, go bad so quickly?
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James
10/27/2016 10:55:01 am
Good question: I didn't want Aleck to pay a fortune and so I told him only two new tires and had him get us three used tires. The two new ones haven't given any troubles, the used ones have all been replaced. Plus, that was a year and a half ago!
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Authors:James and Katherine are a transgender couple raising two kids. They were southerners when coming to understand themselves as trans. Ultimately it lead to a nearly three year road trip to find home. Now they are re-housed and still focused on outreach in the transgender community! Archives
October 2020
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