Craig and I are headed to Illinois today. Donnie Patterson, one of our long time friends from our Illinois days, passed away this weekend.
When I say long time, our friendship began well before there were cell phones or the internet. That's important to know because it pertains to one of my favorite memories of Donnie.
I had driven over to Indiana to spend the day with my parents. I had all our kids with me, and the temperature was in the 90s. Craig had stayed home because he had classes to teach and then an evening meeting.
As I drove home late that day, suddenly my van died. I was barely able to get the van pulled onto the apron beside the interstate before it totally quit. And there we sat. Me, six kids, a dead van with no more air conditioning, and trucks and cars whizzing past us.
There was no way to call for help. We were completely stranded.
After a while, a semi truck pulled over and the driver got out. He offered to let the kids and me get into his trailer (not the cab, the trailer) and said he'd drop us off at our town, another hour down the interstate.
In that heat, my kids were all for it. For me, alarm bells were going off. Hop into the trailer of a semi? Dark, no windows, no air conditioning, and trust a stranger to get all seven of us home? Nope. No way. Absolutely NOT.
I gave him our home phone number and asked him to call Craig. But the trucker never called.
We sat and we sat and we sat. We were hot, the kids were restless, and I was scared. I couldn't leave the kids alone to walk for help and I sure wasn't going to herd six kids alongside a busy interstate, either. We had to stay where we were.
We sat for a very long time after the trucker drove off.
Finally, a car pulled up and a gentleman got out. He said he lived by the next exit, offered to go home and get us some cold drinks, and to call Craig. Knowing Craig was in a meeting and I didn't have the number of the place where he was, I also asked him to call Donnie who lived in Danville, about 15 miles up the interstate. I didn't have Donnie's phone number with me, but it was also back in the days of the phone book and the man was able to look Donnie's number up and call him.
Soon the man came back with those cold drinks (the relief!) and reported that he hadn't gotten hold of Craig but that he'd found Donnie who was now on his way. (Even more relief!) And then that man stayed with us until Donnie arrived. (To whoever you are, thank you. I will never forget your kindness.)
A half hour or so later, Donnie arrived and the seven of us crammed into his station wagon. (The car was air conditioned!!) He insisted on driving us all the way back to our home in Urbana, a two hour round trip for him. His wife Terri finally reached Craig so he knew what had happened and why we were late.
What a relief to get home safely! And that's just one story I could tell you about Donnie. There are more.
I don't expect to have a break down on the interstate today as we drive to Illinois and back, but we will drive right past that spot where I had sat with my children in the boiling heat, waiting and hoping that someone would come help.
I have a flower or two from a Mother's Day bouquet and while it is too dangerous to stop on the side of the interstate, I plan to drop those flowers out the window as we drive by in memory of a good man who did a great thing for me and my children.
Although the funeral is in Illinois, Donnie and Terri actually moved to Lafayette a few years ago and live in the same neighborhood as Curt and Vanessa. So, on Christmas Eve, 2024, we surprised them by dropping by and caroling to them.
Sleep in heavenly peace, indeed, Donnie. You will be missed.
And thank you.
