recently, I stopped to help a feller on the 163 SB JNO the 5th St off -- down from Mercy hospital -- fella looked
like onea Clint Eastwood's "salty lookin dude" w jailhouse tattoos, bulgin muscles, shaved head -- had a beat up earliy 90s
Tbird w a BO tire & no spare -- been asittin there fer several hours in the heat -- he'd called a friend to bring him
a spare -- didn't fit the hub -- he was from outta town -- just IN town to pick up a friend of his outta jail -- I arrived
jist as his friend w the no-fit spare got there -- friend was "interestin lookin" as well, they was both bummed
-- I gave him my card and took his wheel w the BO back to my "20" and put a decent tire on it that i keep various sizes of
fer JIST this purpose [ got bout a hundred or so out behind the barn ] -- took it back to him and put it on the car -- turned
to leave -- he grabbed my arm
w tears in his eyes, he said I'd "blown him away" -- he'd sat there in his car readin the card i'd gave him -- he hadn't
really believed i was comin back w a tire for him -- nobody had ever done anything like that for him before!
maybe made a convert that day
anyways --
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the San Diego Highwayman |
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The "Mission"
I have been called various things as I pursue my "mission" of helping others on the highways and byways of my travels.
Highway Angel, Road Ranger, White Knight, Good Samaritan, are some that I don't mind ----But I kinda like best the moniker
that Charles Kuralt bestowed when fellas from Ninth Wave Productions followed me one day to film me "playin on the freeway"
[ helpin folks ] on his "American Moments" show in 1996. He said --
"Highwaymen of old were figures to fear, but here's
a HIGHWAYMAN to admire."
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My "Ghostbusters" rescue rig, so called for its resemblence to the vehicle in the movie of the same name, is a mixture
of many makes, models, and years of vehicles blended together to make a whole -- for instance, the front sheet metal, or "clip"
is from a 56 Crown Victoria while the rest of the main body of the car is 55 Ford Country Sedan . I originally aqquired it
for $35.00 when I found it sitting in a vacant lot in Ocean Beach in 1966. It was badly front-end damaged and had broken windows,
missing parts and was basicly abandoned to the elements. I began to piece it back togeather using what came to hand. It slowly
evolved over the years into what it is today, a very unusual and distinctive SAR [ Search And Rescue ] vehicle.
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"It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life, that we cannot sincerely help another without helping ourselves
in the bargain."
Needless to say, littl Whitney's artwork rememberance, above, of our July 5th encounter, lifts MY
spirits considerably ever time I look at it! :)
PS -- Shela is my canine "shotgun" partner, Humane Society "rescue"
pooch, and doesn't normally "drive" the rig. ;) Although -- "She"'s SMART enough she probably COULD if she had fingers. ;)
Stopping might be a bit RUFF however ESPECIALLY if she happened to spy a CAT :0
Stopped to help this little gal,
Jane, whilst out "playin" one day -- never imagined the fun I had helpin her, would result in my favorite chuckle to read
;) -- funny & talented girl, Jane :) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday,
February 06, 2006
The Highway Man
by Jane Lui
according to a chinese oracle who calculated my birth
and numbers, whenever i run into an issue, someone will be near to lend a hand. it's translated as "royal guest through grand
gates."
i got a flat tire yesterday on the 163. so i called road side assistance. while on the phone with a very
nice lady... i saw in my rearview mirror: the Ghostbuster mobile drove up. i swear. but on the front it said, "search
& rescue."
i pulled my phone away from my ear, looked at it with a raised eyebrow, looked back at the mirror, a
man was already walking up to me.
"Hi, i'm here to help. we'll get you on the road in no time." "what? are you asking
for money?" he hands me a card with the greatest smile. "no. i do this for fun. i saw you from the other side of the
highway, turned around and stopped here." "wh..what do you mean...you..you do this for FUN..." while the lady on the
phone says, "well... it seems like you're ok..." "yeah..mm... thanks.. i'll call you again if i need anything..." he
had me hooked. "it's what i do.. i look for people like you and help them get back on the road. they call me The Highway
Man." i then looked for his cape. while getting my spare on within 5 minutes, he had me standing on the hill incase some
drunk didn't see us around the bend. my job was to Scream, if.
i stood there... stunt. he's been doing this for
20 years. his partner in crime, Shela, had her chin out the window just waiting patiently in her black and white blotches. his
business card says, "Assisting you has been my pleasure. I ask for no payment other than for you to pass on the favor by helping
someone in distress that you may encounter."
Today. i am a believer.
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Should you wish to, you may contact the San Diego Highwayman @ Goose Creek Ranch 504 Macon St El Cajon, Ca. 92019 619-442-3767 SNOWtraction@yahoo.com
Happy
trails to you, do a RAoK "pass it on" it'll make YOUR day as well ;)
from the Highwayman, Thomas T.
finally
-- "Don't breed or buy while shelter pets DIE"
Shela WAS a shelter dog!
I cain't imagine not havin her with
me!
"She" was WAITIN fer *me* @ the San Diego Humane Society 887 Sherman St. San Diego, Ca. 92110
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One to One Lasik -- I was apprehensive goin in -- bad as my eye was it was STILL *my* eye and necessary for me to be able
to continue "playin on the freeway" daytimes at least. plus -- I'm a WUSS for pain. Gotta tell ya -- NO pain! had the surgery
on a Thursday mornin -- drove home MYSELF from post-op examination Friday mornin! 20/20 vision agin WooHoo!
Rescue the Highwayman -- the Turko Files KUSI tv
the ROYAL treatment!
Rides to the "Rescue"
Goin the extra mile!
Turko File fans help get the job DONE!
BACK in GEAR! [ on the road agin thanke to Michael turko! ]
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my garden's GROWIN & BLOOMIN
E-mail the Highwayman
so
ok
see how YOU kin make a difference in traffic @ trafficwaves.org
People Magazine story August 2002
2003 Discoveries America series -- California -- Thomas Weller the San Diego Highwayman -- video clip
01/28/06 rescue gear STOLEN story
01/31/06 -- KARMA catches up to the thief!
COSTLY "Good Deed" story 02/10/07
LA Times story by Elizabeth Douglass July 2008
Shining World Award from Supreme Master Ching Hai August 2008
Fox 6 News story w Brook Beare
CBS News Assignment America w Steve Hartman story
Reader's Digest story November 2008
"About" San Diego video by Ken Kramer
"To The Rescue" by Elisabeth Deffner American Profile magazine April 2010
Coronado Clarion September 2010 >chuckle< funny stuff here :)
01/07/11 good Samaritan gets "payback" story
Beulah KIA 08/10/11 witness askance in Union Tribune --
Beulah KIA 08/10/11 San Diego Reader witness askance --
09/21/11 a story example of "payin it forward"
Huffington Post article 03/23/12
"On The Road" Les traveled, with the Highwayman Steve Hartman CBS Evening News 06/22/12
Good Samaritan Walt Brinker has helped more than 1,500 stranded motorists over three decades -- Proud to call him a friend
I am :)
Coyote tricks
Don't just stand there [ or pass them by ] DO something!
About Graffiti -- & the gittin rid of it
"Playin on the Freeway" TRUE stories - blog
Beautiful photo of the old SAR rig "Beulah" pullin a trailer on a stormy day
"City Data" conversations bout "the Highwayman"
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