On our way home from visiting friends in Raymond in July, we experienced a blown head gasket on our older Toyota truck. We were a few miles outside of Pe Ell in the Boitsfort area. We pulled over just before the road started to climb, only to learn that we had no cellphone service.
After a short time, a kind person named Ben stopped by to check on us. He allowed us to use his cell phone (with a different carrier) to contact AAA to set up a tow home. We needed a special rig since we were towing a 16-foot camper, so the call was not fast. After he left, a black sedan pulled up and a woman named Jessica asked if we needed help. By then, the tow truck was overdue, so she also let us use her phone to check in with AAA.
A bit later, Ben came back. “Do you have news from AAA?” we asked him. “No,” he said, “but I do have these!” He handed us two covered dishes of good food: fresh-grilled chicken, corn on the cob and baked potatoes. While we continued to wait, several more folks stopped by to check on us, including Jessica’s father.
We were overwhelmed with the kindness of the Boistfort community. We truly felt like they were watching over us, and we are deeply grateful for their kindness. We plan to pay it forward, and we wish to express our thanks in a public manner with this letter. Boistfort rocks!
Caroline Skinner and Howard Blumenthal
Oregon
