Kindness to spare

One of the many aspects of journalism that I was drawn to was the fact that I wouldn't be sitting in an office all day. I liked the thought of going out on assignments around town and talking to people about their new business, graduating from high school or renovations to the parks. These are all stories I have covered as an intern this summer at The Courier, and I was on my way home from a similar event when I found myself on the side of the highway with a flat tire. Faith Zochowski Five minutes away from the newsroom, I am determined to make it back when my low tire pressure light comes on, but my hopes are soon diminished. I'm overcome with panic at the sight of my busted tire on the passenger side of my car and immediately call my dad who doesn't answer the first time. As I call the number for roadside assistance on the pamphlet I remember shoved in my glove compartment, my dad calls me back and curses himself for never showing me how to change a tire. I hang up with him and continue my quest for help when I see blue blinking lights out of the corner of my eye - a state trooper has pulled up behind me. I breathe a sigh of relief and put my phone down as the trooper walks over to me and asks if everything is OK. I struggle in a shaky voice to explain the situation to him, but he tells me not to worry and goes back to his car to get a jack to help me change the tire. He tells me to start calling tire stores around to find a replacement because my small spare won't get me back to Bowling Green on the highway. I call business after business, all of them giving me a reason why they can't help me out. I finally get a hold of someone who tells me they have my tires and will stay open late for me, even though closing time is in 10 minutes. After thanking the trooper a million times, I drive off to the tire shop 15 minutes away. The worker assures me they can get me taken care of and takes my keys to pull my car in. I sit in the waiting room for a few minutes before the same man calls me into the garage to show me what is going on, reluctantly telling me the bad news that all of my tires are in bad shape. I laugh to myself, thinking back to a month earlier when my friend who helped me with something else on my car warned me about the condition of my tires. I tell the man and laugh, saying, "He was right." They tell me it will be about 20 to 30 minutes, so I sit back in the waiting room and update my dad on what is going on. The same worker comes back out and shows me my invoice, explaining what work was done on my car. I wait a little while longer and then pay for my new tires with another worker, who tells me my car is ready and parked right outside the door. Again, I thank the man over and over for staying open late to help me and finally head home. I finally process the course of the last two hours on my way back to my apartment in BG, and here are a few things I've gathered since the whole ordeal: adulting is hard, tires are expensive and thank God for the people of Findlay who were looking out for me that day. I'll never forget the feeling of standing on the side of the highway in the middle of Findlay with the closest friend I could call a good 30 minutes away and my dad back home in Michigan. Nonetheless, I figured it out but only with the immense help from State Trooper Zach Gossard and the employees at Tireman Auto Service Center in Findlay. Because of Trooper Gossard, I was able to quickly get off the side of the road, and because of the workers at Tireman who prolonged their work day, I was able get home safely after a long work day myself. I'm reminded that there are good people still willing to help those in need, and they were right here in the city of Findlay where I've gotten the first opportunity to plant my feet as a journalist. Findlay, thank you for showing me such kindness. Faith Zochowski is from Southeast Michigan and is a rising senior at Bowling Green State University. She will graduate in May 2024.