Tanya Ashworth

The Australian Gentleman

Whoever said that driving a car is primarily a means for transportation? I found it a great tool for letting out my frustrations.

I was frustrated over a situation at work that required me to take on a roll of someone having a bull-dog strong disciplinary posture. I did not like the situation I was being put into or what it was requiring of me.

While driving the car I let out a torrent of emotions and mixed it in with prayer. “I am upset! I don’t like what is being forced onto me. This is not me! I just want to be seen as someone that is dignified, someone with values and standards. I don’t want to be the tough guy. I want to be perceived as a lady. I want to be a lady.”

Right then, right smack in the middle of the street while driving, the engine stopped. I was able to glide the car into a side street and bring it to a stop. I hadn’t even had the time to take my next breathe when I saw a gentleman standing at my car window. I also noticed that there was a silver pickup truck now parked behind me. I let the window down and he said to me, in a thick Australian accent, “Looks like ya might need some help?”

Dazed, I replied, “Yah, yes, the engine just quit.”

“Well, pop the hood and I’ll take a look,” he said in that zoomy accent.

He looked at the engine and came back to the window. He asked, “Do you have a Kleenex?” But before I could even give him a reply he added, “But of course you do. You are a lady.”

He put the hood down, told me there was nothing wrong with the car and that I could start it up again. As he left he said, “Good day and remember, you are a lady.”

“Why on earth would a total stranger say something like that?” That was what I was thinking.

I was a bit stunned. I put the window back up, looked in the rear view mirror and he was gone. How could he and his big silver truck be gone when not even five seconds had passed? But he was gone. He was not there. And there was nothing wrong with the car. It continued on without ever doing that again.

Hmmm? A strange situation that I can only categorize as a “God thing.”

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