Fate Or Coincidence​?

My first trip in 2009 with a loaded trailer from Dallas, TX ended in Sayula, Jalisco, MX, and I spent New Year’s Eve there before heading back to Laredo for another load. As I drove north, I had a heart full of a promising new life in Mexico. Back then, you could drive straight though to Laredo in 12 hours from Lakeside, with little semi-truck traffic.

On Highway 57, a four-lane divided highway, just south of Saltillo, a Federale pulled me over. We were at a crossroads in language communication, but in exasperation he said, “come here.” So, I climbed from my truck cab and followed him to the rear where he pointed out a shredded tire on the trailer. He called for a tow truck and waited two hours with me as the sun was setting behind two small hills across from the “parado” where I had pulled out of the traffic. The officer and tow driver unhooked the trailer and loaded it onto the tow truck.

We drove through a brief dark tunnel around curvy roads until they unloaded my trailer at a roadside truck stop with tire store and OXXO convenience store. I negotiated prices with the tire repairman and finally a new tire and rim were installed on the trailer. Too late to drive to Saltillo, I slept in the van with my giant schnauzer, Stetson. The next morning after a potty stop and coffee to go, I was on the road again and have been fortunate that this was an isolated event.

I have made the trip three to four times a year and always remember the two hills on the west and the parking spot on the northbound side.

Fast forward to October 2025, sixteen years later … I am driving north again in my 2008 Dodge Sprinter (Mercedes diesel) and suddenly have a blow out on my passenger front tire. I “crippled” around a curve where I could pull onto a gravel road to park. Taking a deep breath, I look around to see if I can find a mile marker on Highway 57 North.

What? On the left across the highway, I kid you not, are the same two little hills and ahead I can see the paved bus/trash barrel spot where I waited for help so many years ago!

Cars, trucks and motorcycles buzzed by me and no one gave me any attention. I was calling Roadside Assistance when a local taxi stopped. The driver only spoke Spanish, but he drove off to a tire shop (hole in the wall) and returned to say the mechanic was at lunch. With his child, wife and grandmother, they followed me a mile to the repair place and wouldn’t accept any pesos for their help. I then gave his little girl a cuddly stuffed dog that I was planning to give to a great-niece, and they left.

Long story short … the mechanic came; spare tire was no good; and he talked to my friend Oswaldo, who translated for us. I gave the mechanic $3500 pesos, and he went to Saltillo for a new tire, made tricky because it was Sunday and stores were closed.

As I had time to wait, I called Richard Thompson to share this amazing experience. He is also a writer, who said I should record this and submit it to El Ojo del Lago. I am still hopeful to make Laredo tonight with my current sidekick, Lily, a white standard poodle (although she ate my expensive sourdough muffin … grrr).

To be continued ….