A Near Death Experience
By Hal Haralson, Attorney in Austin, Texas
Old Red is still alive after 30 years of driving to and from deer leases. I stay off the highways with her now. Mostly I fire her up on Sunday evening and take the trash down.
Old Red, for those of you who have not read the original story, is a `67 Ford pick-up. I paid $1,200.00 for it in 1971. It was worth every penny.
Me and Old Red almost parted company this time.
I was cruising down Highway 71 between Llano and Brady, about six miles west of Pontotoc.
It`s hard to describe the elation that comes from being alone on the way to the deer lease. A whole weekend with no cares. Sitting around the campfire with my friends. Hunting with my sons. I`m singing as I roll along. (Old Red doesn`t have a radio.)
Then, Old Red quits. Nothing I can do will get her to start. It`s about 8:00 p.m. and it`s cold. I`m sitting on the edge of a two-lane highway. Trucks come by and shake Old Red as they pass.
No one will come for me. Judy assumes I`m on the deer lease. My hunting buddies don`t know I`m coming.
I spent the night near Pontotoc. It froze that night. Fortunately, I had my hunting gear with me. I rolled up in my bedroll and got some sleep. I was alright except for the 4 or 5 times I had to take a nature break.
I was on one of those "grooved highway" areas so every car that passed made a roar as it hit the grooves. I could imagine an 18-wheeler plowing into the rear of Old Red because he didn`t see us in time.
Finally, dawn broke. With it came a strange sound. Like someone beating a drum. I had to roll the window down to see. Frost covered all of Old Red`s windows.
One glance solved the mystery of the drums. I was across the ditch from a farm house. About a dozen Emus looked across the fence at me omitting booming sounds because they didn`t know what it was they were looking at.
I hitch-hiked back to Llano (40 miles) and found a wrecker who went out past Pontotoc and hauled me in. He charged me $90.00. I think he knew he had a city slicker and took advantage of the situation.
It was the fuel pump. I had to wait until they could find one. `67 Fords are not the standard pick-up for 1999. I spent the night in the Badu house, a bed and breakfast that may have been a brothel at one time.
On the deer lease (24 hours later), Old Red performed brilliantly all over the lease and most of the way home.
She quit again about 5 miles from Austin. I walked in the rain until a car made a u-turn and stopped. I couldn`t imagine who it could be.
It was Judy, my wife. She was going the opposite direction and saw me.
I got another wrecker the next day and had additional repairs. Old Red has run well for the past year. We don`t get on the highway very much. I just don`t feel I can rely on Old Red to get me there.
I`ve learned a lot about God from Old Red.
I`ve had several "near death" experiences and wonder why God doesn`t give up on me. But he doesn`t.
Another breakdown. Another fuel pump. Another chance to carry out the task I`m given.
The tasks are smaller. I am slower. God`s grace covers it all. ¢
