Are you one of the Schomberg Rooyakkers'?

Sorry, I can't come up with anything inspirational, so you will have to settle for this funny little story. 

 Just prior to losing my driver’s license, I was working in Orangeville and living just outside of Primrose which is straight up highway 10.  Linda's brother Mike was living with us at the time, and on this particular day, I had borrowed his little pickup truck to take to work, so I could leave the car for Linda.  Mike's truck was a 5 speed standard with the shifter on the floor and was really fun to drive.  It was middle of winter, cold, and a bit windy, but the sun was shining.  It would have been around 4pm and I was on my way home from work, up highway 10.  Leaving Orangeville, there is a long straight stretch of the highway that goes up a slow incline.  As it was windy, there was a bit of very low ground drifting, but visibility was quite good.  As I left town, up this straight stretch, there were 4 or 5 cars in front of me and after we were out of town, they hardly sped up at all.  Obviously, the driver in the front was nervous and wouldn’t go over 60 kph.  After following for a few hundred meters, I saw an opportunity to pass.  I could see a long way in the distance, so I geared down, jumped on the gas and quite easily passed the whole group of cars at once.  I think I did it safely, and I don’t even think I had to speed in order to accomplish this because they were moving so slowly.  Well about 10 km further up the road, I could see in my rear view mirror, a cop with his lights flashing.  At first I thought nothing of it, but it soon became apparent he was after me.  Before he was even very close to me, I was already pulling over onto the shoulder.  As I was slowing down on the shoulder, I touched the brakes and quickly realized that the shoulder was pure ice and brakes were not a good idea.  I just put the truck in neutral and let it idle to a stop.  It was after that little scare that I looked up into the rear view mirror again and saw the cruiser in the ditch behind me!  I couldn’t believe it, and I am sure I sat for a few seconds wondering, what now?  Well, I decided to get out and walk back to where he was.  His right front wheel was completely off the roadway so he had no traction on the back at all.  He had his door open and had one foot on the ground, maybe thinking that he could push himself a bit, I am not sure.  He already had a good rut dug into the gravel of the shoulder and it was obvious he wasn’t going anywhere.  He quite angrily told me “go back and wait in your vehicle”.  I obeyed, but just as I was turning to go back to the truck, a couple of guys got out of a minivan on the other side of the highway.  I got the feeling they knew him, but regardless, they were coming over to help push him out.  I heard him say, don’t worry about it, I already called for a tow.  The two guys were undeterred by this and offered to push anyway.   I could tell there weren’t going to get anywhere, and I continued back to the truck as I was told.  I sat in the truck for 2 or 3 minutes, looking in the mirror, watching them slug their guts out, but getting nowhere.  After a few minutes, I decided I better at least make it look good and get out there and help.  I put my gloves on, got out and walked back to the cruiser, but again, I thought to myself, us three guys are not going to push this car out, and by now there was an even bigger rut under the back tire.  Well, I found a spot beside the other guys, put my shoulder into it and gave it everything I had.  Almost immediately, the car drove right out!  I couldn’t believe my luck.  I didn’t say anything.  I just turned and walked back to the truck to wait for the cop.  I watched as he said goodbye to his buddies and then came to speak with me.  He asked for my license and as soon as he saw my name, he looked at me and said, “are you one of the Schomberg Rooyakkers”?  I told him, no, they are my first cousins, but I didn’t grow up around here.  You see, our Schomberg cousins were known to be a bit of a wild bunch, had a reputation and were obviously known to the police.  I guess he believed my story, because he tossed my license back into the window at me, said “take it easy from now on” and turned and walked away.  I am pretty sure he never even said thanks for helping push him out. 

I guess this was a reminder to me that even if your interests don't necessarily align, it is always a good idea to help someone in need. 

"Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others.  Unsuccessful people are always asking, "What's in it for me?""

Brian Tracy

Love Holij