I Just Got to Thinking

by R. Thompson
Colorado, USA

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In September 1988, my dad and I were hunting in the mountains surrounding Gunnison, Colorado, on a dirt access road to the wilderness area. Few people knew of this road.

As my dad and I drove to our drop-off location, we saw an older hunter with vehicle trouble.

We stopped, and from the look on his face, I knew there was serious trouble. He had tried to cross a ditch-like road depression, his radiator had flexed in its mounting brackets, and its top had popped off. All we could offer was a ride out to get a new radiator in town, 30 miles each way. We thought of getting a tow truck, but the man mentioned he probably didn’t have enough money for that.

My dad had an idea, though. I would continue to hunt from our drop-off point, and he’d take the man and the broken radiator to town for repair. I remember my dad always telling me to help out where you can, even if there isn’t a promise of reward or expression of gratitude. Know that it always comes back when you need it most.

I hunted the rest of the day, but a hitch in the story developed in town. All the parts stores were closed; it was Sunday and hunting season. My dad took the man and the damaged radiator to a friend who had a garage. Dad thought he could solder a temporary patch on the radiator and get the truck to town for a more lasting repair.

The repair was made, the truck was fixed, the man drove off to town, and my dad returned to the planned pick-up point for me. When I arrived, he told me what had happened, and we planned tomorrow’s hunt as we drove back to town for the night.

As we approached the outskirts of Gunnison, we saw the old man’s pickup along the side of the road. We guessed the repair hadn’t worked, so we slowed down as we came closer. The old man stepped out from in front of the truck and waved us down. I rolled down my window, and my dad asked if the repair had failed.

“Nope”, the old man said. “I just got to thinking while I drove that I really hadn’t thanked you for all you’ve done for me, so I just pulled over and waited for you to come by. Boys, I’m buying you dinner tonight.”

That old man must’ve waited beside the road for over three hours to catch us coming back into town so he could buy us dinner. It was that important to him to express his gratitude for what my dad had done. If you are committed to making a gesture of thanks, nothing will stop you.

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