A Flat in the Country

My husband and I were on our way home to Adelaide after holidaying in Queensland with our three children. Our car was filled to the brim with tents, air mattresses, sleeping bags and other camping equipment. It was dusk as we were driving from Junee in New South Wales to the main highway heading to Narrandera, where we planned to stay the night.

The car became difficult to steer and we realised we had a flat tyre. It was quite dark by the time we’d unloaded all the camping equipment and changed the tyre. Then, not long after getting back on the road, another tyre blew. But now we had no spare. There was no traffic on the road and only scattered farms along the way.

Just as we were debating whether to sleep in the car or walk to the nearest farm for help, car headlights appeared in the distance. My husband walked to the middle of the road to flag it down, while the children and I sat in the car with the inside light on so the driver could see we were a family and not a threat.

As luck would have it, it was a lovely couple and their three children who lived in a nearby pig farm. We all crammed into their car, and a short drive later we arrived at their farm. They suggested we spend the night on the floor of their lounge – we were glad to have somewhere safe to spend the night.

The next morning, after cooking us a great breakfast, the farmer took my husband into the nearby town to buy new tyres. Our two families got on so well they invited us to stay on for another day to learn about the workings of the farm – and watch their daughter fearlessly ride one of the huge pigs.

We finally continued home to South Australia, very grateful for the kindness this family had shown us. We kept in touch for more than ten years – each Christmas with a card and a long letter telling each other of the past year’s events.