A little back story: One of the things that I am most afraid of is being stuck on the side of the road. This fear goes so deep that I am a very nervous traveler and I grew to dread long trips in our old cars (it’s not so bad since we bought our Subaru). If the “check engine” light, or any of those warning lights, comes on, I have to actively fight against panicking. Because of this fear of mine, I have a lot of sympathy for anyone that is stuck on the side of the road. If I see a person walking on the road I feel compelled to stop and ask if they need help. I try to stop if I see a car broken down on the road to offer my help. I do all this because I know that if I were in that position I would be freaking out a little. I’ve helped push several cars down the street for a stranger, I’ve changed a few tires (and plugged one), and I’ve also picked up some hitchhikers that needed a ride. By “some,” I mean I’ve probably given 20 to 30 people a ride. Some times we were going the same way, some times they only needed to go a couple of miles in some direction. My second to longest drive with a hitchhiker was something like 30 minutes. Now, I do have personal rules with hitchhikers. I never give someone a ride when any family member is with me. If I’m riding with a friend, my friend has to agree before I even ask the person if they would like a ride. And, my last rule is no smoking in the car. I also would never want Emily to pick up a hitchhiker, it’s far too dangerous. =)
With all the people I’ve given a ride to, all of them were thankful, all of them only needed a little help to get a little farther down the road. They have all been courteous, respectful, and generally pleasant. We’ll talk and swap life stories, and, when we get to where they need to go, they’ve said “thank you” and I’ve left feeling like a did a good thing for my fellow man. This is true of all the hitchhikers I have picked up, all but one.
Emily moved to South Carolina before I did. She moved there to start her first veterinarian position after having just completed her internship at UGA. I was still living in Athens, trying to pack up all our things and sell our house (still technically own that house). I was working at the vet school during the day, packing and cleaning at night, and I would take a truck load of boxes or furniture to our rented house in South Carolina every weekend. To get from one house to the other was about a three hour drive, and this was well before the time of GPS on our phones. GPS devices were totally a thing, but we didn’t have one. I had some printed off directions that I would follow. I held on to these printed directions like crazy for the first few trips, but by the third or fourth trip I thought I knew exactly how to get where I was going. I didn’t even bring the directions on the fateful “hitchhiker” trip to Newberry.
I had been driving for about an hour and a half. I was in a fairly large town in South Carolina when I lost my confidence in my mental map. I made a few hesitant turns down streets that looked right, but they weren’t. And I was lost. I pulled my truck into a parking lot and started to look for the printed out directions that I knew weren’t in the truck. I only looked for a minute or two until a nice person came up to me and asked if I needed help. How great! I told him I was lost and where I wanted to go. Luckily for me, he knew how to get there and it was, as he said, “In the same direction that I need to go.”
“Fantastic!” I said. “Hop in, I’ll give you a ride.” So, this nice man threw a heavy looking backpack into the truck bed and climbed aboard. He just needed to go down the road a few minutes, and it would put me on the path to Newberry. He started giving me directions, turn at the light and go down two blocks, that kind of thing and then I asked him where he needed to go. He said Greenville. That didn’t mean anything to me, I didn’t know where Greenville was in relation to where we were. We drove in a generally northern direction, which was odd because Newberry was basically east of Athens and I was pretty sure I wasn’t so lost as to be way south of where I needed to be. We started to leave the town, driving distinctly north now. Me and the hitchhiker were chatting, mostly sports stuff (sports are an easy icebreaker) and he seemed like a nice guy. And then I saw the road sign telling me how far Greenville was. Greenville was 50 miles north.
I told the guy that 50 miles was too far, I had to get to Newberry to see my wife. I told him that I would drop him off in the next town no problem, but I had to leave him there. I couldn’t drive two hours out of my way. He listened to me, he let me explain that I was sorry but I had to get to Newberry, I said Greenville was just too far; and then he pulled a knife out of his pocket. He never held it up to me, but he did hold it up so I could see it. It was a big knife. Bigger than I thought would comfortably fit in a pocket. (It might have looked bigger because of the threat it implied.) Then he said, “No, I think you can go all the way to Greenville.”
After he made it clear that Greenville was going to be our destination, he calmly put the knife on his lap and started trying to have conversations with me again. He talked about t.v. shows he liked, and other trivial topics. I tried to act cool, I tried to be comfortable in the situation, but it was so hard to stay calm and simply drive. We got to the south edge of Greenville and he had me pull into a fast food parking lot where a friend was waiting. I have no idea what I hauled in that backpack he had, but that is the only thing he took when we arrived. And, to his credit, he told me to get on I-385 to get back down to Newberry.
That was the only truly terrifying experience I’ve had while simply trying to help out another person. And I haven’t let it deter me from picking up hitchhikers. I know most people are good people. Even my one “bad” hitchhiker only showed me that he had a knife. It could have been so much worse. He didn’t rob me, he didn’t steal my stuff. He could have, but he only took a ride. I’m not blind to the problems of the world. I know that there are some people out there that would have robbed me or worse, but I truly think those people are few and far between that it is worth the risk for me to lend strangers a helping hand when I can.
You were lucky as God was looking out for you.
I believe most people are very nice also, but as a woman, I never pick up hitchhikers .
I’m glad that event turned out well for you.
Thank the Lord you weren’t harmed! I was passing a high school (I live in Northern Virginia, about 16 miles south of D.C.) when I see two young girls walking down the road hitchiking. It was getting dark so I stopped and asked if they needed a ride. They had missed the last school bus while studying in the library. I took them about 2 to 2.5 miles to the nearby hospital where one of their parents worked. And, on the way I made them promise to NEVER hitchhike again because they were lucky I picked them up and not some deranged human. After more lecturing I dropped them at their destination feeling that I might have saved two lives.
Tony, you have a good heart! You and Emily are so blessed by God tb.o have each other and your beautiful children. I remember when the pastor of my church years ago gave a sermon about Jesus. He basically said to help one another as you may helping an angel unaware! God kept you safe. Don’t let the world of people who say you are foolish to risk this, but I say God bless you! I am an old woman now and I pray that God’s blessings continue to be a servant of the Lord!
Tony, I made a typing error. I meant to type, “You and Emily are so blessed by God to have each other and your beautiful children.” Thank you for your story and your honesty about anxiety. I have dealt with anxiety and depression most of my life and it is good to hear that I am not alone.
Thank you!! -tony
Thanks for sharing your story Tony. Really enjoy yours and Emily’s posts.
You have a great heart! You always have made me proud to be your mom! Love you son!
Thanks mom
When and why did you live in Newberry? Such a lovely little Southern town.
We moved to Newberry for Emily’s first vet job. We lived there and Prosperity, Sc for 3 years if memory serves me right. It is a cute little town. The coffee shop downtown was fun
Love your blog. Keep up the great work! Also, what inspired you to start a blog?
MACY
Love your blog. I am so glad I found it. By the way, the tornado experiment was so cute! =) Keep up the great work! Also, what inspired you to start a blog?
MACY
The blog was a good way for Emily to stay in touch with her fans after leaving Pol Vet. It’s also a lot of fun to put something out in the world and have people get something out of it
Well that was a little intense! Glad it turned out ok.
When I was young, some 60. Years ago, I had a job that required a pretty good amount of traveling………I made it a point to pick up any hitchhikers in uniform with duffel bags. I had been in and out of the army by then so I knew what they needed………a ride home………and were they ever appreciative. While my traveling days are over I think I’d be a little more cautious these days.
Never had a problem back then.
You’re a good guy, Tony.
Good guy+good vet/mom=great couple…….Cheers 🤠
Thank you =)
I am not sure what to think about picking up hitchhikers to be honest. I’ve offered people a ride probably a handful of times in my life. Being helpful and looking out for one another is essential in life. When I am helpful to strangers I do evaluate (gut feelings) before offering. I’ve watched many police/crime shows which makes me aware of what can happen. So I am very cautious in that regard. People who are really in need will be thankful, so it’s a win/win for both parties when all part company with happy feelings.
Crocodile Dundee would have pulled out a bigger knife and explained it to him. :o)
I am exactly the sameway about breaking down. I fear it all the time while traveling alone. I Used to pick up some people whose car had broken down . Esp in bad weather.
One time someone jumped in my car and told me to drive. He only went about a mile and got out. He scared me so bad i rarely leave my car door unlocked.
I’m sure, that sounds terrifying -tony
Hi guys!
This was a great story Tony you are a kind, brave man. And a great Dad.
Would love to have more of these personal stories about your beautiful family and our much-loved Dr. Emily.
Also, I’d love to hear the story of how you got beautiful Merlin.
Thank you for clean, family friendly content!
Love you guys!❤️
I thought Tony wrote a story about how we got Merlin, but, even if he did, I could totally write one as well. I’m glad you are liking our blog =)
You have a truly good heart Tony…
I think the difference was he asked you first. I believe he was looking for someone that fit what he needed.
You were very lucky.
TT,
You are a very lucky man. Please think twice before doing that again.
P.S. Love your stories. Love you and Emily very much. You are very interesting people . Please consider writing a book about your lives.
And please don’t stop posting.😊
Thanks
TT,
You are a very lucky man. Please think twice before doing that again. But to tell you the truth that is how I met my husband. He was stranded on the side of the road. I was driving by and saw someone needing help. We have now been married 47 years.
P.S. Love your stories. Love you and Emily very much. You are very interesting people . Please consider writing a book about your lives.
And please don’t stop posting.😊
Thanks
I’m glad you stopped for him, seems like it worked out well =)
Oh Tony! NO, NO, No! I’m all for helping my fellow man, you need money, I’ll give you what I have. You need to use my washer & dryer, no problem. Heck a friend of mine who lost his wife, his job, took up with a very scared woman (not a lady) and I sent my husband down to pick him up and bring him to our house. That was a year ago and he’s still here! But that’s fine because he pays for the privilege of being here. But if you’re outhit h hiking, sorry dude/dudette I’m not picking you up! What would Emily have done had that knife not just laid in his lap when you got him to his destination? Now you also have littles to think about. So please no more picking up hitch hikers cuz I sure would hate to pick up my newspaper and read a tragic story!! Other than that you’re a pretty cool guy!
Thank you =) -tony
Tony,
Please excuse the typos in the middle, my keyboard sticks. First one should say a very “scary” woman. The next one should say “but if you’re out hitch hiking”
BTW, Thanks for the love you guys share!
Not a good idea! You have a family to think about returning to!
I really enjoyed reading this post. For the longest time, I was very cautious about hitchhikers as well, until the day I met a hitchhiker who changed my life… for the better. I married him. We’ve now been married going on 11 years next month.