A Southern Experience
...ssionate, loving, and caring souls? Again, I had always heard of this thing called southern hospitality! Was it real or was it a myth; I would soon find out. Just as I had spoken the last words to myself in thought, suddenly my husband shouted! “the car is overheating, I think we have trouble.” I immediately beckoned my faith to rise tall as I glared backwards and forwards down the much traveled Interstate 40, which pierced the heart of Oklahoma, waiting to experience the hospitality of the South. Many automobiles passed us by, but my husband assured me with unwavering confidence, someone would eventually stop to assist us. Again, before my mind was consumed by lingering doubt, it was unbelievable; my pessimism disappeared like a vapor. Quickly, an automobile pulled off the interstate and parked directly behind our vehicle, seemingly in worst condition that ours. The vehicle was making clinking sounds and sputtering out great mounds of dark smoke. Out of the vehicle came two Caucasian individuals, with a smile made for heaven, speaking with a deep, southern drawl, as they offered us assistance. After a short introduction, the couple, who were husband and wife, out of the blue, offered to call a tow truck for my husband and I, to which we were very grateful. I thought quietly within, southerners are truly compassionate and loving; it’s not a myth after all. The driver of the tow truck soon arrived and was full of joy and began to speak to us as if he had known us for years; to me Gray 3 this was different from life on the West Coast. The gentleman gave us his card and assured us that our vehicle would be taken to the best and least expensive auto repairman in town. “Thank God,” I uttered to my husband, we had already spent more than enough money on the vehicle before departing California. As the car was being towed away, the couple was very cordial towards my husband and I and even asked us out to their home for dinner and afterwards assured us that they would take us to the nearest hotel, without charge. We turned down the dinner offer but did ask if we could use their phone to make hotel reservations at the nearest and only hotel within miles. After making reservations, our new found friends happily offered to take us to the hotel that we would be staying in for the night because it was a Sunday and all shops were closed. Upon arriving at the hotel, to my amazement, there our automobile was, parked just around the corner of hotel that we would be staying in for the night. The couple, whose name was Bill and Susan, made sure we had checked into the hotel and then greeted us good- bye and for us to have a safe trip. My husband and I greeted them with a God bless as well as we exchanged phone numbers and addresses. Finally, after checking into the hotel room, I spoke in a soft, broken voice to my husband, “I’m ready for a good nights sleep,” and he agreed without hesitation. Oh, I did tell him that southern hospitality was no longer a stranger in my life but the beginning of a new found friendship. Early the next day, Monday morning, my husband immediately went to the mechanic shop, located only a block from our room. While he was out taking care of our automobile problem, I prayed unhesitant for another experience Gray 4 with southern hospitality, hoping our vehicle would be repaired (today) and for a reasonable price. After being away for a only few minutes, my husband returned, upon entering the room, his face radiated like the moon light glowing on the snow, during a cold wintry night. My prayers were answered as my husband informed me that the mechanic kindly told him that our vehicle would be repaired first and that ...