An ugly truck: When the essence is in the utility and not in the appearance.
Today's challenge allows me to remember a great anecdote from my life when I was traveling through the highways of the country...
On a sunny day, I think it was Saturday, I decided to take a trip on the interstate, the music was playing happily on my stereo and everything seemed perfect, suddenly the engine of my vehicle started with a strange noise and began to fail, with a dry heave the car stopped in the middle of the road. Scared and scared I looked in the rear view mirrors and with desperation I saw how the other cars were speeding past me. As best I could I pushed the car into the shoulder of the road.
At that time it was also lucky to get a cell phone signal; so I climbed up a small hill and after trying to fish for a connection, I was able to call for help to vial. The operator, very kindly, promised to send a truck as soon as possible. I climbed down the hill and sat down next to my car. The hours passed slowly and the afternoon sun began to set. Already nervousness had taken over my mind and all hope that I would continue my journey that day was fading. Before each passing truck, it was a drop of hope that went away, in my mind I imagined a modern truck for road assistance, with a room for the injured drivers, with coffee and water; but above all with the best technology so that in a matter of minutes I could repair my vehicle in an accident.
Suddenly I saw how an iron jumble, with no defined color, parked in the direction of my car. As it approached, my greatest fear became a reality, it was an ugly old truck with worn paint and an almost useless vehicle.
Suddenly and without a word the driver, an older man who barely smiled, got out of the truck and with his toolbox started to work on my car. When I wanted to interrupt him, he told me: "Don't worry, I'm from road assistance and they told me to come here, it just took me a little while to get here. My skepticism was growing, how is someone riding in that ugly truck going to help me? The older man was still head first in the engine of my vehicle. Keys came and went. The great and magnificent thing was the dedication and skill of that older man who was engaged in hand-to-hand combat with an engine he didn't know. As time went by, the man said: “Turn it on”, his confidence made me go directly behind the steering wheel and turn the switch, to my surprise, the car started with a well tuned engine. He told me that you can continue your trip, with the certainty that at least in the next few months that fault will not present itself again.
Suddenly I saw how an iron jumble, with no defined color, parked in the direction of my car. As it approached, my greatest fear became a reality, it was an ugly old truck with worn paint and an almost useless vehicle.
Suddenly and without a word the driver, an older man who barely smiled, got out of the truck and with his toolbox started to work on my car. When I wanted to interrupt him, he told me: "Don't worry, I'm from road assistance and they told me to come here, it just took me a little while to get here. My skepticism was growing, how is someone riding in that ugly truck going to help me? The older man was still head first in the engine of my vehicle. Keys came and went. The great and magnificent thing was the dedication and skill of that older man who was engaged in hand-to-hand combat with an engine he didn't know. As time went by, the man said: “Turn it on”, his confidence made me go directly behind the steering wheel and turn the switch, to my surprise, the car started with a well tuned engine. He told me that you can continue your trip, with the certainty that at least in the next few months that fault will not present itself again.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Un Camion feo: Cuando la esencia esta en la utilidad y no en la apariencia
El reto de hoy me permite recordarme una gran anécdota de mi vida cuando transitaba por las carreteras del país…
En un día soleado, creo que era sábado, decidí emprender un viaje por la interestatal, la música sonaba alegremente en mi equipo de sonido y todo parecía perfecto, de repente el motor de mi vehículo comenzó con un ruido extraño y comenzó a fallar, con un tirón en seco el auto se detuvo en medio del camino. Con mucho miedo y asustado miré por los espejos retrovisores y con desesperación vi como los demás autos pasaban velozmente a mi lado. Como pude empujé el carro hacia el hombrillo de la carretera.
En esa época también era una suerte conseguir señal del teléfono móvil; así que subí hacia una pequeña colina y luego de tratar de pescar la conexión, pude llamar auxilio a vial. La operadora, muy amable, me prometió que enviaría un camión a la brevedad posible. Bajé de la colina y me senté al lado de mi carro. Las horas pasaban lentamente y el sol de la tarde comenzaba a caer. Ya el nerviosismo se había apoderado de mi mente y se desvanecía toda esperanza de que continuara mi viaje ese día. Ante cada camión que pasaba, era una gota de esperanza que se iba, en mi mente me imaginaba un moderno camión de auxilio vial, con recámara para los conductores accidentados, con café y agua; pero sobre todo con la mejor tecnología para que en cuestión de minutos reparar mi vehículo accidentado.
De pronto vi como un amasijo de hierro, sin color definido se iba aparcando en dirección hacia mi carro. En la medida que se acercó, mi mayor miedo se hizo realidad, era un camión feo y viejo de pintura desgastada con un aspecto casi de un vehículo inservible.
Súbitamente y sin mediar palabra el conductor, un hombre mayor que apenas sonrió, se bajó del camión y con su caja de herramientas comenzó a trabajar en mi auto. Cuando le quise interrumpir me dijo: No se preocupe, yo soy de auxilio vial y me dijeron que viniera hasta acá, solo que tarde un poquito en llegar. Mi escepticismo aumentaba, ¿Cómo me va a auxiliar alguien que ande en ese camión tan feo? El hombre mayor seguía zabuido de cabeza en el motor de mi vehículo. Llaves iban y llaves venían. Lo grandioso y magnífico era la dedicación y la habilidad de aquel hombre mayor que se entregaba en un combate cuerpo a cuerpo con un motor que desconocía. Con el transcurrir del tiempo dijo el hombre: Enciéndalo, su seguridad me hizo ir directamente a ponerme detrás de volante y accionar el switch, para sorpresa mía, el carro prendió con un motor bien entonado. Me dijo puede usted continuar su viaje, con seguridad que por lo menos en los próximos meses esa falla no se le presentará nuevamente.
Así como llegó, así se marchó. Recogió sus herramientas y emprendió su viaje. La gran lección fue no juzgar por las apariencias; mientras que yo esperaba un moderno y sofisticado vehículo; el viejo y feo camión fue el que me solucionó y mi auxilió en el momento que más lo necesitaba.
La imagen fue creada con IA de Bing com