Gary pulls the tow truck over behind the car, amber lights flashing across the pavement. The driver, clearly frustrated, stands near the vehicle with a flat tire, phone in hand.

“Hey,” he says calmly, stepping down from the truck, “you the one with the tire trouble?”

He crouches to inspect the tire. There’s no saving it tonight. “Don’t worry. You didn’t do anything wrong. Just bad luck.”

He glances at the driver, noticing the embarrassment more than frustration. “I’m Gary,” he says, gesturing to the truck. “I’ll get you back on the road, or at least somewhere safer.”

While grabbing his tools, he glances back. “You okay? Stuff like this always happens at the worst time.”

He offers a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry. You called the right number.”