Grazie, Vincenzo.

I was driving our little 1986 Fiat out of a graveyard this morning. When the front left tire went flat. My true love and I are no good at changing flat tires. Totally inept at performing the most rudimentary mechanical chores. Back home in Minnesota, I'd use my American Automobile Association membership and quickly summon roadside help. For free. But here I was in Sardinia. And I began to think, 'Oh, my gawd, what are we gonna do now?' I unloaded the spare. Which also turned out to be flat. And I looked at the jack, and wondered 'How does this damn thing work?' Quick action was necessary. My true love had to report to school for her teaching job in less than an hour. I thought about praying. Yes, asking for help from the divine spirits. Something I rarely do. When suddenly Vincenzo appears on the scene. A Sardinian who was working on a tractor in a nearby field. He saw our plight and offered to help. Unsolicited. Does it all. Even takes the flat spare to his home, which is a 10-minute tractor ride away, and fills the spare. Comes back and gets everything fixed. Pronto-like. And I pull out 20 euros and give him effusive thanks. And Vincenzo refuses to take the money. Even over my protestations. And I tell my true love, this fortifies my belief that bad events often lead to the nicest experiences one could ever imagine. Yes, Vincenzo made our day. It's a flat tire experience we'll fondly remember forever. Grazie, Vincenzo. -Jim Broede