To the editor:

A few weeks ago I was enjoying a beautiful evening drive on Ocean Avenue. Immediately after the entrance to the Bush compound, I had to veer sharply to the right to avoid a head on collision and hit the granite curb. As I gathered myself., I noticed an unmistakable hissing sound coming from the tire. I called AAA and was told it would be about a 45 minute wait. I had just left an opening at Mast Cove Gallery. I was alone, wearing cocktail attire, new in the area and completely clueless about changing a tire. Within a few minutes, Sgt. Steven Shisler of the Kennebunkport Police Department stopped by to make sure  I was all right. He offered to help but I told him I had called AAA and didn’t want to trouble him with a tire. He promised to swing by later.

An hour and a half had passed before the towtruck showed up. The man sauntered over and proceeded to complain that my older Audi station wagon had hubs that are impossible to remove.

He made a half-hearted attempt at fiddling with the tools. When he saw that I had a deflated spare, he said that he didn’t carry air or a jack. Clearly, he had other plans for his Saturday night, so he called for a flatbed truck. When he drove off he yelled out the window that it would be there in 20 minutes. At this point, it really was getting dark.

Officer Mark Vaughn pulled up and asked how things were going. He immediately offered to try to change the tire himself and set to work. Then Sgt. Shisler arrived and within a very short period of time they had my car jacked up and removed the punctured tire.

Officer Vaughn found the air pump for the spare and was filling it when a huge truck arrived. The driver of the flat bed immediately took over and finished changing the tire.

I really appreciated the officer’s help and kindness. They went far above and beyond the call of duty.

Sarah Peabody

Cape Porpoise