Travis Ramsey

Hello Friends...

First of all, Congratulations to Ashley and Craig Carlton as they were married last weekend and included me as part of their big day. I could not be happier for them. The wedding was fabulous and we lassoed, did the tic-toc and cupid shuffled all night long (aka I was loving myself). Ashley woke us at 6:15 to start our day (she was "hungry" aka EXCITED) and the party continued all day long.

I also was able to celebrate fathers day with the one and only Wild Bill Shanley. The entire Shan-man clan (that's a lot of -ans) was able to celebrate together as Todd was home for a week. There was lots of food, cannon balls and beers for everyone :) I of course was thinking of my own dad on Sunday...the one and only Peter Mancuso and remembered how lucky I was to have a great dad for 18 years :) He continues to help me...this week it was in the form of a man named Travis Ramsey.

While driving back to Wilmington after a fantastic weekend on Sunday I was chatting w/ the one and only Lauren Shouldis when I pulled into a gas station/Blimpie to pee (you know I can't drink a whole diet coke and then hold it for more than an hour). I got out and saw a sign on the door that said back in 5 minutes (it was about 6:15 pm). I went back to my car and tried to start it and it would not start. I told Shouldis I would call her back and called roadside assistance (calmly may I add). The man...not helpful informed me I was far from Wilmington (no, really?). He was giving me less than helpful options and sharing stories about his father's car troubles...now I was frustrated so I was like ok maybe I need a jump. I go into the store (now re-opened) and asked a man for help jumping the car. He stated he wasn't sure how to jump a car (is that not a requirement of an adult man? Really any driver but particularly a man in his 30s...whatever). I schooled him on jumping a car and with little luck the man continued on his trip to Charlotte.

I called back roadside assistance and was connected to someone significantly LESS helpful...she told me that I could have the phone numbers of towing companies, I informed her that was why I (well, Joann) paid HER. I explained that I needed to be towed to Emporia (I decided that was the best option as I was about 12 miles away). Just when I was beginning to get upset a nice man around 60 years old walked up to me and asked if I needed help. I explained to him my situation (it has been about an hour at this point) and he tells he is a mechanic and asks me to pop the hood. I do as I'm told and he notices that it is the battery as well. He takes out his wallet shows me his ids and says "I'm Travis Ramsey and I live up the street. I can fix your car but my family is waiting to do birthday cake just up the street so if you feel up to it come with me and have some cake and I will get tools and come back" I look at his work id for the VA department of Corrections and figure ya know what the heck. I call my mom giving her his information and get in the car. We arrive at what seems to be a nice little house about a mile from where I was and I enter a room full of people waiting to eat birthday cake and ice cream! Travis introduces me to everyone in the family and I explain my situation. Their daughter graduated from Longwood in 2004 so we had that connection. After cake and ice cream, which I did not eat we went back to Travis and Lynn's house down the street so Travis could change. In his house I got to see his Native American artifact collection and chat with Lynn about her back surgery and she and Travis' life.

We then rode back to the gas station where Travis determined that it was not my alternator and using heavy duty jumper cables got my car to start (apparently water had drained out of my battery which in turn ruined it). We drove into Emporia (it is now after 9pm) and Travis and I turned my car off and tried to restart it. When it did not restart we went into Walmart where I bought a new battery (that Travis offered to help my buy) and he installed it in the parking lot. The couple offered for me to stay with them but I insisted that I drive home so I could atl east wake up and go to work in the morning even if I did go in late. They made me promise that I would call them when I got home and visit when I was driving through the area so I did. Travis called me every 30 minutes until I was home and Lynn called my mom when she got back to the house to assure her it was ok.

Lessons learned:

1. There are still good people in the world.

2. Dad is still there when I need him.

3. Allstate roadside assistance blows

4. When the battery in a Honda dies, the radio resets itself and requires a code that can be found in the owners manual to reset it (also a safety check if the radio is ever stolen).

So big shout out to Travis and Lynn Ramsey...wonderful people in Drewryville, VA :)

Also...KTK moves to Wilmington on FRIDAY :)