Yes, We Cannes...

WARNING!

This post starts out in a very pompous, name dropping, sort of way, but redeems itself later on.
I just couldn't help myself.  Sorry...

A few years ago my beautiful wife and I were driving through the South of France returning to Paris from the Cannes Film Festival which we had been credentialled to cover for The Associated Press.

While we were there we had made a side trip to Tuscany to stay with a friend at his converted 10th century monastery in Rigomano.

We had rented a small car for our trip because we were carting gear and needed the flexibility.

The morning we were leaving Tuscany I came out to find a flat tire.

It took me about and hour to find the spare and the jack.  It was all hidden in secret compartments in a very clever, space saving, way.

I finally located the stuff and, in no time, changed the tire and we were on our way.

A few days later, as we were passing just north of Avignon, we pulled into a rest stop, an "Aire" as the French call it, to take a short break from the road.

As we were leaving we passed an older woman next to a car similar to mine, with a flat tire.

I pulled over and got out to ask if I could help.  She, with some hesitation, said "Oui" and I proceeded to change her tire just as quickly as I had changed mine a few days earlier helped by the fact that I knew where to look in her car to find the requisite tools.

"Merci, Monsieur."

"Il n'y a pas de quoi, Madame.  Bonne Route."

Fast forward to yesterday.

I was driving on the highway when a full sized pick up truck flew past and then, abruptly, stepped on the brakes.

I saw the passenger window coming down and I thought it was a friend slowing to say hello to me.

I sped up a bit to pull along side.  I had a big smile and was ready for a big "Howdy Do."

It wasn't a friend, after all, but a cigar chomping somebody gesturing to my truck and telling me, unintelligibly, that I needed to know something.

I looked back with puzzlement and he just kept pointing.

I waved and mouthed "thank you" and he drove off.

I had to decide whether to pull over on a stretch of road in the middle of nowhere or continue on to the next exit where there would be services.

I was on a deadline and was afraid to pull over on the shoulder for fear that if I had a big problem it would be more complicated to fix and I would be late.

I drove on, slowly, to the next exit a few miles ahead.  I pulled into a gas station, parked and got out to look.  Sure enough my front, driver's side tire was almost flat!

I pulled up to then air compressor and filled the tire.

The payoff for which you have been patiently waiting and for which you suffered the opening pomposity...?

Kharma my friends...Kharma.

Sometimes generous actions don't return to you in kind but sometimes, as in this case, they do.

"What goes around comes around."

Remember that the next time to treat someone poorly.

Their Kharmic representative may just decide, Cuban in hand, to pass you by...

Happy Motoring!