Gasoline in the Diesel Tank--and What a Christmas Gift!

                                             Yeah, we got this call just at the end of supper.  

 

Rose, Timmy, and Danny were on their way home from their second trip to town to gather up logs and parts of logs from all over town where the storm had laid down trees. 

They had taken Jonathan's truck and dump trailer, and stopped to fill the empty tank. 

And Timmy accidentally put gasoline in the diesel fuel tank! 

We heard Jonathan groan, "TIMMY!" over the phone, and we knew something bad had happened. We were all watching and listening and trying to hear what Timmy was saying. We thought it was an accident. Thankfully Timmy realized what he had done before starting the engine. Anyway, Jonathan had to decide what to do.

"Just sit!" he commanded Timmy. No starting of the engine!

We really didn't need the Christmas gift of a ruined truck engine!

I offered to put on my duds and go out to collect several gas cans from outside to put in the back of the van for Timmy and Jonathan to siphon gas into, and Jonathan left to go buy a siphon hose at Home Depot. The truck was about 40 minutes away.

It was a disappointing way to finish a good day, but we were thankful it wasn't worse. Timmy hadn't started the engine. It hadn't been an accident. The children had been doing a good and profitable thing--gathering up logs to turn into firewood. And Jonathan didn't get mad. I don't know how he stays so almost perfectly calm. My head would have been circling like eagles over the Missouri possum Crystal almost hit on her way home. I'd have been pulling my last few hairs out.

Not Jonathan! He sits there and tries to think what kind of hose, and where to buy a siphon, and whether Sam can take time off since he's on call at the fire station, and stuff like that. Never once raising his voice or gasping around or rolling his eyes or getting upset.  

After a few hours, they all came pulling in.

They had siphoned 35 gallons of gasoline out; the truck started just fine and ran just fine. 

But the best Christmas gift Tim could have this season is patience and forgiveness from the dad whose truck he almost ruined!