"Would you call me a tow truck?"
"Okay, you're a tow truck."

I got to laughing so hard it was impossible to tell him what a lousy comeback that was even though it was lame. It has been raining cats and dogs for almost an hour. New asphalt which means it's really slick even without hydroplaning on top with all the water. Extra careful in OKC with all the idiots driving like it wasn't pouring down rain. Visibility let along traction was almost non existent. I had left OKC behind headed west on I-40 which turned into a freeway parking lot. At times a complete stop. Did they move California to Oklahoma? Sometimes a complete stop then creep ahead and when I thought we were rolling again, we weren't. Plenty of space between me and the van ahead and we finally were moving about twenty mph. The van stopped. I locked my breaks and could tell I wasn't going to stop even with the extra cushion of spacing. I put it in the bar ditch. A very wet soggy bar ditch. I was stuck. Not the first time I put a vehicle in the ditch. Last count is up to around four I think. They never been wet like this one and I would pull out and go on. Not this time.

"Nine One One, what is your emergency?"
"I'm stuck in the bar ditch, I need a wrecker. Can you call a tow truck for me?"
"What is your location? Are you hurt do you need an ambulance?"
"I'm just stuck. I'm not hurt, I wasn't in a wreck. I went off the highway to keep from being in a wreck. I'm approximately three miles past the Ft. Reno off on west bound I-40. I passed the one twenty two mile marker about two or four miles back. I'm not sure."
"I'll notify the highway patrol to assist you."

Didn't think I needed the highway patrol but the conversation was cut off. One good thing, the highway patrol car was at the Ft. Reno exit when I went by. And what do you know, it didn't take him that long to pull over on the shoulder making sure he didn't get too far over or he would be stuck also. I took my billfold and met him at the front of his vehicle.

"Are you hurt?"
"No, but I am stuck."
"Did you hit another vehicle?"
"No, I'm in the ditch so I wouldn't hit another vehicle. A van stopped in front of me. I wasn't going to stop. It seemed I was on ice. I didn't have any traction for some reason. I took it to the ditch. Would you call me a tow truck?"

"Okay, you're a tow truck."

He didn't ask for it but I went ahead and pulled my CDL out of my billfold and handed it to him. Paperwork, he was going to need it. I was ahead of him.

"Wait in your car and I'll call it in."

I waited about ten minutes and went back to find out how long it would be. The downpour in OKC and of course a rash of accidents which I had hoped to avoid and leave behind meant they were working through the list. It was going to be awhile. A couple hours later it was pretty simple. The tow truck never got off the shoulder or he would have joined me in the ditch. A winch line a hundred plus feet long and he winched the car up out of the ditch. The driver was close, using a remote, and watching as he pulled the car out. I had the car in drive but didn't push it, letting the winch do the work, letting the steering point where it needed to and minutes later I was out of the ditch. I eased up behind the tow truck to make sure I was on solid ground and had traction.

"You done this before." He was letting the winch line reel back up.

"Probably a couple dozen times. Usually with a tractor and chain. Toss in a few pickups, a couple large trucks, a combine."

The tow truck operator and Reynolds, the Highway Patrolman, were both so nice, courteous, pleasant and a joy to visit with. I received compliments from both which were a bonus.

I was wearing a straight, just above the knee black skirt, white blouse, accessorized with silver diamond necklace, earrings and white sneakers. Swollen feet. legs reason for sneakers and the VA visit today. I received a compliment from my doctor also.

I write stories about mistreated transgender the same as most writers on this channel. I've met a few of those who probably would have loved to take it beyond words and practice laying on of the hands. Of course there are the haters who feel I messed up their perfect world of male or female with no grey area in between. I'm also small for a male, the right size for female. Depending on one's point of view I'm either a small juicy target or I cause confusion.

No matter who you are. How you present yourself, and how much self esteem and courage you carry will determine a whole lot toward how others will accept and treat you. How you treat others goes a long ways toward how they will reciprocate. I've been called everything you can possibly imagine and a lot of things you probably never heard. As long as they don't try and put their hands on me and hurt me, I don't have a problem with what the other person thinks or says. That's their right. My rights do NOT supersede their rights. I've met trans I can't stand. I sometimes wonder if they are trans or acting out against society?

Remember there is only one first impression. Try and make it the best. When you go out and are meeting people for the first time, try and think of it as a million dollar job interview. You may let the attitude and attire slip from there but I hope you don't. There will be others who follow us. Hopefully we make it easier for them by example.
Hugs People, you only have one go at this life, make the best of it.
Barbie