Civil Defense Parable

Here’s the secret to civil defense.

My truck blew a tire

On a suicide curve

In a forest so remote

My cell phone would not work

And I was stuck in a forest.

The wind chill factor was minus 5.

I had to pick up

My eight-year old Eamon

In a half hour from day care

Or I would be charged

a year’s mortgage payment.

When I tried to get the spare tire off

The underside of the truck carriage,

It was frozen solid and would not budge.

My clothes became filthy in forest dirt

As I tried in vain for 45 minutes to remove the tire.

I went into the truck to get warm and think.

I had water and beef jerky in the truck cabin,

So I still had time. I had a full tank of gas for heat.

But the phone ... I tried to call my wife. No signal.

I tried to call my brother. No signal.

Then ... eureka! What about 911?

They must have a stronger skip tower.

It just makes sense.

I called 911.

“Where are you?”

“In Bennet Regional Park.”

“You want the Park Police.”

“No ... wait ...” I yelled, but he transferred me.

“Park Police ... I’m stuck in Bennet Regional Park ...”

“You want the regional Park Police.”

“We’re the federal Park Police.”

“No ... wait ... I can’t get a signal

From my cell phone where I am.

Can you call my wife and tell her

To pick up Eamon and to call USAA?”

To get me a tow truck out here?”

“Sure.” He took the information.

An hour later, she and the tow truck arrived.

But it was not over.

The tow truck took me to Pep Boys

Where no one spoke English and, worse,

No one wanted to fix the flat.

On to Wal-Mart where they stated

Emphatically they were closing in 10 minutes.

I told the truck driver to take me to God's Country,

Almost Heaven, West Virginia,

Where I moved three weeks after 9/11

When I analyzed biological attack circle maps

Did not reach us when they hit Washington, D.C.

On the way the driver said,

“Wait. In Damascus there’s a garage I know

Where the guy is in my AA group.

You can’t say anything because

It's all supposed to be anonymous.

You said you do volunteer civil defense, right?”

“Yeah,” I answered.

“Well then he has to help you. He’s a firefighter.

Law enforcement has to help each other

When they’re in a fix like you are.”

“But I’m not law enforcement!” I protested.

“I’m a volunteer for civil defense.”

“Doesn’t matter.” He said.

“He has to help you.”

A few minutes later, the firefighter

Who owned the garage opened the door,

My truck was in and fixed in minutes.

I returned the next day and bought

Four new tires from the same man.

That's the secret to civil defense.

You depend on other people,

And they depend on you.

Some call it the Golden Rule.