My Wife Was In The Back of a South Dakota Highway Patrol Car

And it was my fault.

However, nothing criminal happened.  It's because I wasn't paying attention to the gas gauge.

On Saturday, my wife and I were returning from Sioux City after our monthly Chick-fil-A run.

We were talking and singing along to songs on the radio with not a care in the world.

We had just passed the Volin exit when I noticed the gas gauge, the 'E' was flashing.  The 'miles left on tank' said 4.

Uh-oh.

This is embarrassing because I always keep an eye on the gas gauge.  How could I forget to fill up?

I slowed down and asked my wife to Google where the nearest gas station was.

I knew what the answer would be Beresford, but I was in denial, hoping that Google had somehow found a new gas station that would be within my 4-mile range.

Of course, it didn't.  She confirmed that the nearest station was almost 10 miles north in Beresford.  Dang.

I'm preparing myself for the walk of shame to Beresford.  I was telling myself that the weather was nice so it wouldn't be that bad.

Just at that moment, we came over a small hill and I saw a South Dakota Highway Patrol Explorer parked in a turnaround.

Imagine my luck!

I immediately pulled over and began to walk back toward the Explorer.  The officer met me in front of the cruiser and I told him how I was running on fumes.

He graciously offered to give us a ride to Beresford so I could buy a gas can and fuel for my car.

My wife got in the back of the Explorer and I rode in front.  The poor girl was surrounded by plexiglass and steel.  Probably should have been the other way around.

The officer brought us to one of the Beresford gas stations where I spent $25 on a 2-gallon gas can and filled it up.

I didn't mind the high price of the can considering the alternative of running out of gas on the interstate and possibly damaging the fuel pump.

He drove us back to my car where I put the 2 gallons in the tank and we were off to Beresford to fill up.

Thankfully that South Dakota Highway Patrol officer was in the right place at the right time to help out a couple of citizens in need.

Thank you, sir.