‘Til the Wheels Fall Off

I had some car troubles recently – my old and faithful steed simply stopped functioning. Like, I drove it to a restaurant, ate lunch, and when I went to leave the restaurant my car did absolutely nothing. He didn’t even act like he was trying to work. Through a network of friends (and their mothers, which is another story) I got it to a repair shop, and because we live in the golden age of technology, the mechanic texted me the estimate of repairs. It was going to be expensive.

Now, as I said, my car is old. However, the last time I needed to make repairs (maybe a year ago) I asked the mechanic, “If you were me, would you keep paying to fix this car?”

He shifted his chewing tobacco (I am not kidding) and sucked through his teeth and said, “If I had this car, I’d drive it ’til the wheels fall off.”

I handed him my credit card and he made the repairs.

So this time around, when faced with the same decision, I did not hesitate. I paid for the repairs. And Carlisle, as I semi-fondly call him, is back on the street again (“in the non-prostitute sense, obviously” – ten points to Ravenclaw if you get that reference!)

So, all’s well that ends well, eh?

But for some reason this breakdown and repair process has me thinking more than usual. And the phrase that keeps rattling around in my head (I’ve been sick, so maybe it’s been sliding around up there? GROSS, Ashleyne, why would you say that?!) is this:

I’ll ride with you ’til the wheels fall off.

See, within 30 minutes of when Carlisle stopped working, I had no fewer than nine people asking if I needed a ride. All of them leaned in, said they were here to help, and offered whatever I needed. And I keep thinking about how I am incredibly grateful for those people. I am grateful for the people who will ride with me ’til the wheels fall off. The people who don’t always know where we’re going or what we’re doing but who know we’ll be together. The people who I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, are here for the good times and the bad times.

And I don’t know what I’d do without them.

So here’s what I want. Who are those people to you? Who are the people that you know, without a doubt in your mind, will ride with you ’til the wheels fall off?

You don’t have to call them out publicly. But I think they deserve at least a text or a phone call to say how grateful you are. Don’t you?