The Little Old Lady from Spokane
The Alberton Papers, Vol. V, #XVI
By Dick Darne 2-12-08
This week I would like to share the storytelling talents of my friend Tom Wheeler. dd
. The little old lady, from Spokane
This story is about a little old lady from Spokane. It was a dark cold winter night, the snow was falling heavily and the wind was blowing, it across the highway making, for poor visibility. Some nights even without the wind during a snowstorm the driving conditions can be very treacherous, on Interstate 90 between Frenchtown and Tarkio, this night was no exception. All sane people should have been home setting by a warm fire.
The storm had started about 3:00 p.m. that afternoon. Guy Spence was the first one called out to go work that night. We were supposed to have the night off, because it was on a Saturday. It wasn't long after he'd been at work that he decided that he wouldn't be able the handle all the work by himself. He called dispatch in Missoula and told them that he needed help. I was just settling in for a long anticipated night off. When the dreaded ring of the phone jerked me back to reality and reminded me that in the wintertime, I owed my soul to the state highway department.After the phone call within 15 minutes I was setting behind the wheel of the snowplow and sand truck. As I was making my first-round to Tarkio to assess the needs of the highway, I was wondering what kind of an adventure I would have this night.I called Guy on the radio to see what the conditions were on the east end, his voice came back loud and clear that he was glad to see that I had came out to play. And that he had plenty to do on the east end.
The road conditions deteriorated fast as the snowstorm worsened, after about three rounds and six loads of sand, I could tell that I was going to be in for a long night. As I was plowing and sanding my way back to Alberton from Tarkio for the fourth time that night. I was at mile-marker 72 eastbound on Interstate 90 just west of Alberton, I could see the headlights of a car and it looked to me like they were in my lane. I pulled off the interstate on to the extreme right hand shoulder and stopped. Sure enough the car was heading west in the eastbound lane. I grab my flashlight and jumped out of the truck and started to wave the car down.
The driver of the car was a little old lady in her mid '80s. After I had waved her down and got her stopped, I told her that she was driving in the wrong lane. I said ma'am you are in the wrong lane and you're going to get yourself killed. She asked me what was the direction to Spokane. I pointed west and told her that was the direction to Spokane. She replied to me well! that's where I want to go and that's the direction I’m going. I replied again I know you want to head west, but if you keep traveling in this lane you are going to get ran over by a semi. I helped her, get her car turned around. I then explained to her that if she would drive east for about 4 mi. she would come to the Alberton exit. She should then make a right and go to the top of the exit. Then turn left across the bridge, and then take another left to get back on the west bound ramp. Then you will be heading west to Spokane. She then started up her car and cautiously started east. When she reached the Alberton exit she drove right on past. I passed her on the highway and stopped her at the East crossover. She asked me now what? I told her you just drove by the exit and now you are headed in the wrong direction. She replied to me that she'd been lost all dammed day. At that point, I decided that she had no business being on the road, so as I turned her car around for the second time I checked her gas gauge, it registered on full. But I still had misgivings about just turning her loose on the highway. I suggested to her that she pull over at Alberton and get a motel room. Her reply to me was no! I cannot do that! Because I have to get home and feed my dog. All I did this morning was leave the house to get some dog food from the store. And I have just been going in circles.So as I stood there scratching my head, with a worried look she started on her way. I then called the boys that were working on section 13 to warn them about her, and for them to keep an eye out in case she got into trouble again. About two hours later, I heard a call on the radio, to the Highway Patrol that the little old lady was in trouble again. This time she had two flat tires that she was driving on slowly heading west. After the highway patrol arrived on the scene, they determined that the lady was in no condition to drive to Spokane. The Highway Patrol called Carl’s towing and had him haul her and her car to Spokane. Later we heard that she most likely had a stroke and was disoriented from it. That night she was lucky and must and have had god riding with her in the passenger seat.The storm raged all night long, and Guy Spence and I fought it until four A M. At that time we called in the joy boys to take over and finish the cleanup.That night I had put on 425 mi. on my truck and put out 12 loads of sand. When I got back to the shop, Guy said just another normal night huh!We checked out and headed home for some much needed rest. At the same time knowing that we would probably have it to do all over again the next night.
By Dick Darne 2-12-08
This week I would like to share the storytelling talents of my friend Tom Wheeler. dd
. The little old lady, from Spokane
This story is about a little old lady from Spokane. It was a dark cold winter night, the snow was falling heavily and the wind was blowing, it across the highway making, for poor visibility. Some nights even without the wind during a snowstorm the driving conditions can be very treacherous, on Interstate 90 between Frenchtown and Tarkio, this night was no exception. All sane people should have been home setting by a warm fire.
The storm had started about 3:00 p.m. that afternoon. Guy Spence was the first one called out to go work that night. We were supposed to have the night off, because it was on a Saturday. It wasn't long after he'd been at work that he decided that he wouldn't be able the handle all the work by himself. He called dispatch in Missoula and told them that he needed help. I was just settling in for a long anticipated night off. When the dreaded ring of the phone jerked me back to reality and reminded me that in the wintertime, I owed my soul to the state highway department.After the phone call within 15 minutes I was setting behind the wheel of the snowplow and sand truck. As I was making my first-round to Tarkio to assess the needs of the highway, I was wondering what kind of an adventure I would have this night.I called Guy on the radio to see what the conditions were on the east end, his voice came back loud and clear that he was glad to see that I had came out to play. And that he had plenty to do on the east end.
The road conditions deteriorated fast as the snowstorm worsened, after about three rounds and six loads of sand, I could tell that I was going to be in for a long night. As I was plowing and sanding my way back to Alberton from Tarkio for the fourth time that night. I was at mile-marker 72 eastbound on Interstate 90 just west of Alberton, I could see the headlights of a car and it looked to me like they were in my lane. I pulled off the interstate on to the extreme right hand shoulder and stopped. Sure enough the car was heading west in the eastbound lane. I grab my flashlight and jumped out of the truck and started to wave the car down.
The driver of the car was a little old lady in her mid '80s. After I had waved her down and got her stopped, I told her that she was driving in the wrong lane. I said ma'am you are in the wrong lane and you're going to get yourself killed. She asked me what was the direction to Spokane. I pointed west and told her that was the direction to Spokane. She replied to me well! that's where I want to go and that's the direction I’m going. I replied again I know you want to head west, but if you keep traveling in this lane you are going to get ran over by a semi. I helped her, get her car turned around. I then explained to her that if she would drive east for about 4 mi. she would come to the Alberton exit. She should then make a right and go to the top of the exit. Then turn left across the bridge, and then take another left to get back on the west bound ramp. Then you will be heading west to Spokane. She then started up her car and cautiously started east. When she reached the Alberton exit she drove right on past. I passed her on the highway and stopped her at the East crossover. She asked me now what? I told her you just drove by the exit and now you are headed in the wrong direction. She replied to me that she'd been lost all dammed day. At that point, I decided that she had no business being on the road, so as I turned her car around for the second time I checked her gas gauge, it registered on full. But I still had misgivings about just turning her loose on the highway. I suggested to her that she pull over at Alberton and get a motel room. Her reply to me was no! I cannot do that! Because I have to get home and feed my dog. All I did this morning was leave the house to get some dog food from the store. And I have just been going in circles.So as I stood there scratching my head, with a worried look she started on her way. I then called the boys that were working on section 13 to warn them about her, and for them to keep an eye out in case she got into trouble again. About two hours later, I heard a call on the radio, to the Highway Patrol that the little old lady was in trouble again. This time she had two flat tires that she was driving on slowly heading west. After the highway patrol arrived on the scene, they determined that the lady was in no condition to drive to Spokane. The Highway Patrol called Carl’s towing and had him haul her and her car to Spokane. Later we heard that she most likely had a stroke and was disoriented from it. That night she was lucky and must and have had god riding with her in the passenger seat.The storm raged all night long, and Guy Spence and I fought it until four A M. At that time we called in the joy boys to take over and finish the cleanup.That night I had put on 425 mi. on my truck and put out 12 loads of sand. When I got back to the shop, Guy said just another normal night huh!We checked out and headed home for some much needed rest. At the same time knowing that we would probably have it to do all over again the next night.
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