An Unbelievable Journey: A Mother’s Intuition

 Life has a funny way of throwing curveballs when you least expect them. One of the most unbelievable experiences of my life happened during a seemingly ordinary trip to Eureka Springs, Arkansas. I had helped a friend move and was tasked with returning the rental truck. The plan was simple: drive the truck to Eureka Springs, turn it in, and then take a bus the rest of the way home. Little did I know, this simple errand would turn into an adventure I would never forget.

After dropping off the truck, the owner asked if I had filled the tank completely. I hadn’t, so I went to the nearest gas station and topped it off, spending just a few dollars. With that done, I asked the owner for directions to the bus terminal. He told me it was just up the street and to the left. Simple enough, right?

Well, not quite. I walked and walked, and then walked some more. Nine miles later, I finally reached the bus stop. Along the way, I tried to use my ATM card, only to discover that my account was frozen due to the gas purchase. To make matters worse, I had stubbornly refused to get a cell phone, so I had no way to call anyone for help.

During my long walk, I noticed that there were absolutely no pay phones. I even stopped and asked someone, and they laughed. Desperate, I walked into a Hilton Garden Inn in Bentonville, hoping to borrow a phone to call my mother. I approached the front desk and asked if I could use their phone. Before the receptionist could respond, the phone rang. She answered, then looked at me and said, “Yes, he’s right here,” and handed me the phone.

To my astonishment, it was my mother on the other end. She had called the first number she could find in Bentonville, other than Wal-Mart, and by some incredible twist of fate, I had just walked into that very hotel. My mother and I have always been close, but this experience took our connection to a whole new level. She calmed me down and assured me that she would be there to pick me up as soon as I arrived at the bus terminal.

The kindness of the desk clerk at the Hilton Garden Inn was a lifesaver. Seeing how dehydrated I was after my long walk, she offered me food and drinks, including water and soda. Her generosity and compassion were exactly what I needed at that moment.

This story is a testament to the power of intuition and the unbreakable bond between a mother and her child. It’s a reminder that even in the most challenging and unexpected situations, there’s always a way through, often with a little help from those who love us most.

P.S. Ever since that day, I’ve had a cell phone glued to my side. Lesson learned! During that long walk, I discovered that pay phones were a thing of the past, like rotary dial phones, VHS tapes, floppy disks, dial-up internet, pagers, cassette tapes, typewriters, 8-track tapes, and even milkmen delivering fresh bottles to your doorstep. Funny how things change, right? One day you’re dialing a rotary phone, and the next you’re yelling at your smart toaster for incinerating your English muffin! What’s next, a microwave that does more than just reheat coffee and hot chocolate?