On a late Monday night while at work I was busy passing time on social media. Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, the usual. I was also checking in on Yik Yak. I think it’s interesting to read up on what people find important enough to share with the local herd, especially now that the option for anonymous is back, and through Yik Yak I found a plea for help from another use, handle on, looking for a favour from a friendly stranger.
Irrelevant conversation or responses to removed yaks has been crossed out The author is ‘Pink Compass’
While closing up at work I decided to research exactly what was covered under my AAA plan. Apparently things have been updated since I last checked. Since I never use all four of my tows in one member year, and when would I ever get the chance to use all 100 miles available to me, I decided to reach out to semi-anonymous user pppeachy.
The following morning I did just as I said and called AAA with vague details about a trip happening later that day. They confirmed what I knew and I texted my anonymous friend that I would be ready to go after my last class. I was given an address and promptly showed up at around 3pm where I met pppeachy for the first time in person. Turns out, she is a lovely person. We used my account for an Uber and chatted until our ride arrived. We hopped into a small, clean car with a charming driver.
“Where are we off too?” He said while messing with his phone. “Columbus! Well alright, let’s go! This is exciting!” We couldn’t have been more thrilled at having a driver who was down and ready for the hour and a half drive to Northern Ohio. I pulled my laptop out to work on a Her Campus article and asked the crew for advice along the way. We all talked continuously and got to know each other. Our driver, Aaron, was in the armed services and wants to be a stand-up comedian. Maybe one day he’ll write a joke about the Uber ride to Columbus with the two girls who met from an anonymous app.
As we pulled off the highway I started my phone call with AAA. It was going to take some time to get transferred to Ohio and give all of the information they needed. Car make, model, year. What’s wrong, can it drive, are we in a safe place, where is it, where are we going, “Just so you’re aware your plan only covers the first 100 miles.” It’s around 4:30pm and we find our way to the broken car in Columbus. AAA gives us an estimate of 45 minutes, and we take our seats in the driver and passenger side, respectively, and continue talking until our tow truck arrives. No topic is off limits as we discuss relationships, family, friends, school, aspirations, and personal details about ourselves. It was like reconnecting with a friend I hadn’t seen in years.
Our time came and went and I called AAA back. Our driver was held up and they gave us another 45 minute wait. He showed up around 6pm. We went to meet him at the end of the driveway when he pulled onto the road and parked behind another rundown car. The driver of that car got out excitedly.
“Sorry, I think this is our Triple-A.” I told him.
“Aahh,” he huddled back into his jacket, “it isn’t fair.” He got back into his car to wait and we showed our driver where he would have to back into. He was a nice, older man excited that we got to join him for a ride back to Cincinnati in his new truck. It was a week old with 10,000 miles on it. Everything was clean and the inside was spacious. He cracked jokes with us and we got the car docked and ready for the trip back home to Cincinnati.
We both sat in the back, “We’re going to snuggle.” I told the driver when he asked if we were comfortable.
We talked all the way back to Cincinnati without ever running out of topics. We spent time talking with our driver about his job, his family, and all about AAA. The drive was longer, almost two hours, due to the traffic and we showed up at her apartment around 8:30. We had driven 106 miles, 100 of those free with my membership. Our driver helped us from the truck and got my bag for me. I needed to leave so I shook pppeachy’s hand, told her it had been fun and we should hangout sometime, before heading to my own car to leave for the night.
I made it home in one piece. Alive, not left in a ditch on the side of the highway, and I would say having made a new friend along the way. It was a Tuesday well spent, and a memory for the books.