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Willie at a truck stop

David Duerksen

I drive a flat deck truck long haul. While driving to Provo, Utah in mid-February, I arrived at Grand Junction, Colorado and realized that my driving time had expired. I parked the truck, climbed into the bunk and fell asleep. The next thing I heard was my alarm. It was 7 p.m. I washed and shaved, then went to A&W for a burger.

When I returned to the truck I noticed a young Native boy and a half-grown golden lab puppy at the fuel pumps of the truck stop. The boy was sitting by the door of the fuel station on a large suitcase and wearing a sweater much too big for him. Every time a truck or car would pull up for fuel, he would run out and talk to the driver. I didn’t know if he was trying to sell something or buy something, but he seemed very determined.

I started the truck and drove it up to the fuel pumps. The young lad came over and asked, “Mister, are you going to Exit 42?”

I said, “I ‘m sorry, son. I’ve already passed Exit 42. I’m going the other way.”

He turned, picked up his old cardboard suitcase and started back to the truck stop door.

I called to him, “Sonny, are you lost?”

He came running back. “Yes,” he said, “I don’t know where I am.” He said he was on his way to Palisade at Exit 42, where his sister was supposed to meet him.

I finished fueling the truck and parked it again. I asked him what his name was, and he said it was Willie. Then I asked him when the last time was that he’d eaten, and he said it was early that morning. I said, “Can’t you get a burger at the A&W?” “I haven’t any money,” he responded. I got him a Teen burger, fries and a root beer, as well as a burger for his dog Chip. Both the boy and his dog made short work of their lunch. Willie couldn’t believe that I’d buy a burger for his dog. I told Willie that Chip looked more hungry than he did.

It was cold, darkness had set in, and the rain was starting. I said to Willie, “Let’s get in the truck and you can tell me how you ended up at a truck stop not knowing where you are.” He said his mother had been killed in an automobile accident the previous August. His father worked at a farm supply store in Rifle, Colorado, but his dad didn’t spend much time with him. Willie had a 13-year-old sister named Linda and no brothers, his best friend was his dog. Linda had gone to live with their Aunt Iona in Palisade. Willie was welcome there too, but his dog wasn’t, and Willie didn’t want to go without him. But the week before, Aunt Iona had talked to him on the phone and told him that he should come to live with them and that Chip was welcome also.

One of Willie’s dad’s friends named Jim had been to visit him over the weekend, Willie was to travel back with him, and Jim would let him off at Exit 42 early Monday afternoon. Willie’s sister Linda would meet him there, and they would walk to their new home a few miles south. Willie, Chip and Jim left Rifle on Monday before noon and stopped in a town called Parachute for lunch. While they were there, Jim spotted an old friend. Soon they were on their way to the friend’s place for a few drinks. Willie and Chip stayed in the car until Jim was ready to continue travelling. Jim had had too much to drink at the friend’s place and had not noticed Exit 42. At Exit 26, he stopped, told Willie, “This is where you get out” and took off, leaving the young lad by a busy intersection. Willie told me he was ten years old. I went in and talked to the cashier at the truck stop, who suggested I call a cab, but without a street name and number, I realized that would not work. I decided to unhitch the trailer and take Willie to Exit 42 – 16 miles away – myself.

As we drove, Willie asked, “Mister, do you teach Awana?”

I said no.

“Do you teach Sunday school?”

“I’ve done that. Why do you ask?”

He said, “You are like Mr. Deetz, my Awana leader. You don’t make fun of me or yell at me or Chip. My Aunt Iona is good to us. She’s my mom’s sister. She’s a Christian. My mom was a Christian.”

I asked Willie if he was a Christian also. He told me that Mr. Deetz, his Awana teacher, had taken four young guys hiking in the hills. At night, they had sat by the campfire while Mr. Deetz told them stories from the Bible and of Jesus’ love. When Mr. Deetz had asked them if they wanted Jesus in their hearts, all four of them had asked Him to forgive their sins and to come and live in their hearts.

When we reached Exit 42, I stopped the truck under the overpass and turned off the engine. I opened the passenger window and told Willie to call his sister. He called, but all was quiet. I said, “Call her again, louder.”

This time he yelled, “Lindy-Lindy, it’s Wimpy. Where are you?”

We saw her silhouette against the wall of the underpass as she got up and slowly walked to the truck. She had been waiting for Willie for more than four hours and was very cold.

I drove them to their Aunt Iona’s. I asked Willie if he had a Bible; he said no, so I gave him a New Testament. I encouraged him to write or phone Mr. Deetz and tell him how his trip had been.

I then asked him, “How come you and I found each other?”

His reply was, “Jesus.” I’m sure the answer was true.

David Duerksen is a member of Northview Community Church in Abbotsford, B.C.

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Last modified June 5, 2001.

© 2001 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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