Stuck

When Josh got his first vehicle, he was on top of the world. Nothing could hinder his mood. Josh spent hours and hours researching this vehicle, looking for tips and tricks, flaws, and modifications available for this vehicle. Josh’s father was excited that his son was buying his first vehicle, helping Josh pick the vehicle up from the seller and bringing it home. Josh’s father sat him down the night he returned with the vehicle, lecturing him about how a vehicle is a big responsibility and that he was physically and financially responsible for his new vehicle. Josh understood, and promised his father he would take care of it. Josh spent months saving money just to instantly dump it back into this vehicle. Josh smiled every time he drove this vehicle, the freedom of being able to go anywhere and do anything he wanted exhilarated him.

The vehicle Josh drove was notorious for being an off-road machine, with there being countless modifications available to make this vehicle even better on the trail. Josh loves to test his vehicles 4×4 capability by going out and finding trails to ride with his friends. One night, Josh’s friends invited him somewhere new. A local racetrack was holding a 250 Lap overnight race. Josh took his 4×4 to the race, and his friends opened the gate and had him park in the pits. As the night progressed, Josh’s friends were talking with him about his 4×4. One of Josh’s friends mentioned a trail out behind the track that he knew about, and cohered Josh to try his 4×4 out on this trail. Josh mindlessly accepted the challenge, thinking nothing of it as he does this with his 4×4 often. All of Josh’s friends piled into the 4×4, and they led him out to the trail. Josh navigated the trail slowly as it was dark and this was his first time on it. As Josh traversed this poorly lit road, he and his friends come across a large stretch of swamp. unknown to Josh, the area he was in had just received torrential rains, nearly flooding the whole area. Josh and his friends studied the flooded swamp from inside the 4×4. Josh’s friend Aaron, who was sitting in the passenger seat, told Josh he had nothing to worry about. Aaron convinced Josh that the water wasn’t deep, and swore that he has gone through this swamp with his own 4×4. Josh stupidly believed Aaron, and proceeded into the swamp.

Unfortunately for Josh, the water continued to get deeper as he went through it, eventually coming up over the hood of the vehicle. Josh was going to fast to prevent the water from coming up. Josh’s 4×4 shuttered and came to a stop, almost completely underwater. Josh knew he had done it this time. His 4×4 had died under water. His friends climbed out of the windows, and the panic instantly set in for Josh. He had no idea what to do as he didn’t have much money saved up, and didn’t have the disposable income to dump into his 4×4. While wading through the deep water next to his only vehicle that was dead in the water, Josh frantically tried to come up with a solution to his problem. After striking out on all his possible options, he bit the bullet and called his father. Josh knew his father would be disappointed in his action that could have destroyed his only vehicle. Josh told the story to the father, hoping his father would have the solution to his problem. Josh’s father was extremely disappointed in Josh, enough to tell Josh he wanted nothing to do with it, and to figure it out himself. When Josh hung up the phone, he knew he was on his own in figuring out his problem.

He and his friends were able to find someone to get them pulled out, and Josh headed for home. As Josh made his way home, he could only think about the mistake he made, but he also learned the important skill of being able to deal with real world problems.

“Jeep XJ Cherokee Off-Roading” by Trenten Kelley is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.