The first day and night of our vacation was spent in a parking lot by the Cebco Village Mart in Marion, PA.  The good news was, we were extremely blessed to have landed in a most exceptional town.  Every person we met helped us with everything from knowledge sharing to food to moral support.  The bad news was, the mechanical problems turned out to be more complex then Carl initially thought. 
    First thing in the morning we traveled (very slowly) the eight miles from the Cebco to the auto parts store. Carl had been in touch, and they knew we were coming.  We pulled into the parking lot, and Carl asked me to please go in and talk to them while he put on some work clothes to begin the repair.
    The employees, Dave, Gin (short for Virginia) and Tom, had seen us drive in.  When I walked through the door, they had a warm and empathic welcome at the ready.  I asked were we should park to do the maintenance and possibly stay the night.  Dave pointed out an area and I expressed our appreciation.  He replied, “Helping you is no problem.  It’s just what my daddy taught me.  My dad would take care of anyone who needed help.  So, you just let us know what you need.”
    I mentioned that we needed a siphon hose and Gin spoke up.  “My father has a length of hose he had just put into recycling.  I’ll call him up and have him bring it on over.”  
    Again overwhelmed with emotion, I asked, “are either of you huggers?”  They both replied, “normally no, but from you, yeah.”  How cool is that?
    I went out to Carl and gave him the update.  He told me that we needed some wood pieces to stack up and drive the RV onto (to create space to work under it).  We were in a business area, and across the street was a huge auto dealership.  I crossed the four lanes of highway and found the “do-it-all man” Carroll.  He was extremely helpful and led me to his tool shop where he had more than enough lumber to do the job.  He told me to just help myself and if we needed anything else to let him know.
    Later, needing a tool, I did walk back over but was unable to find him.  I went into the main building to the receptionist desk and met Billie Jo.  We hit it off immediately and even exchanged contact information.  She knew where Carrol was and called him on his phone.  Again, his attitude and support impressed me. Before heading back to Carl, I asked Carroll if I could talk to his supervisor to tell him or her just how great he was to these Vermonters down on their luck. He led me to his boss, the owner of the business!  I praised Carroll, and then the owner thanked me for the feedback.  He said that if we need anything at all, Carroll would be there for us.  Feeling indebted I asked if I could rake and do some cleanup on their property in exchange. The owner wouldn’t have anything to do with that.  Instead he offered us a free lunch in the restaurant area.
    I went back to Carl and shared the latest events.  He said that Gin had brought the hose out to him.  She also said that her mother really wanted to make us some dinner or some cookies, but they were too busy preparing for moving to a new home.
    Carl continued to work on the RV, and when I wasn’t needed to assist, I walked the short distance to the railroad tracks.  
I placed a penny, nickel, dime and quarter on the tracks.  My parents used to stop by the railroad tracks at times so my siblings and I could do the very same thing.  If you have never done this before and are curious, here’s a photo of what the train does to the coins.
    Over the next two days, Carl continued to work on the RV.  Unfortunately, there were problems with the wrong parts being delivered, a malfunctioning part and quite a bit of frustration.  Dave and all the employees in the parts store continued to go out of their way to help.
    A guy who lived next door came over and asked if he could help.  He had been playing basketball with his family, a refreshing sight to see.  Carl didn’t need any help, so I started talking with him.  He was from Alaska (lived there 20+ years) and moved to where he is now so that his wife and their three kids could be close to his wife’s mother.  So honorable.
    At one point we needed more ice for the RV refrigerator.  The nearest store was too far away for me to walk.  So, I went back to see Billie Jo, and she filled a bag of ice for us from the restaurant.  She and I continued to talk and discussed people and how everyone has their own challenges/battles.  She shared a favorite saying of hers: “Do not judge.”  Simple but oh so meaningful.
    All this time Carl and I were going into the parts store to wash our hands and use their bathrooms.  Before long Dave said, “You are family now, don’t walk all the way to the front door every time; come in the side door.”
    Again, trying to show my appreciation but also to get a laugh, I found a big push broom (like school janitors use).  I started pushing it up and down the aisles.  Everyone laughed, except for the manager who hadn’t met us yet.  He didn’t know what to make of the situation and made me stop.
    Eventually, all the parts, tools and Carl’s knowledge had the RV running like a top.  We decided to spend the night (it was already late afternoon) and leave in the morning.
    As they closed shop, before they went home, our three dear friends came out to say goodbye.
    A most special goodbye came from Tom.  He explained to me that he is a Shriner. My favorite part of any parade is the Shriner cars! As he handed me a pretty blue pouch, he explained that it held one of few special Shriner coins that he had purchased for gifts.  He wanted me to have it. So touched and proud, I felt like I was standing ten feet tall.
    I said goodbye to Gin and found out we are both Scorpio’s and a year apart in age.  We laughed about the temperament of a Scorpio and God help anyone who ticks us off!
    Dave came by before he left and for someone that was not a hugger, gave a pretty amazing one.
    Before calling it a night, I went to the snack bar next door to get a creemee.  I had $2 on me, and a small size, with tax came to exactly that.  I paid and the girl proceeded to make a pretty darn large small creemee for me.  
    She then turned and asked, “Would you like sprinkles on it?” I replied, “But I don’t have the money.”  She looked at me smiling.  She paused and then asked again, “Would you like sprinkles on it?”  
    I laughed as I realized that she too was being extra kind and giving.  With thanks in my voice I said, “If some colored sprinkles fell on it, that would be ok.”
    What an amazing journey! The first three days of our vacation were far from what we planned.  But like I told Carl as we left, “You know, we have experienced more human kindness in the last three days then some people may encounter in a lifetime.  I don’t know about you, but I feel so energized and have a renewed faith in mankind.”

My Mom shares a story sometimes of the first day our family lived in Essex Center after moving from Jericho. She laughs as she tells others how the 8-year-old me went for a walk. When I came home and she questioned where I went, I told her that I visited every neighbor’s house and knocked on their door to introduce myself and to get to know them.
No; shyness is not an issue for me. I especially enjoy talking to strangers and listening to them tell their stories.
Last month Carl, my partner, and I went on a vacation to Virginia. Along the way, the RV began having mechanical problems. After we passed Scranton, PA (30,000 lbs of bananas), things got worse. The RV acted like it was starving for fuel. 
We ended up pulling over in a truck stop because the problem had escalated to the point that we could only go 35 miles per hour uphill on the interstate. We saw a sign that said, “Next Exit ¾ Mile.” Considering all options, we decided to go for it. We got off at the exit, which had a gas station/store a stone’s throw away. We pulled into a Mennonite Nursery gravel parking area across from the Cebco Village Mart in Chambersburg, PA. 
Carl began troubleshooting, and I walked over to the store (quite similar to a Mobil station here in Vermont).  I was pleasantly greeted by a husband and wife team, Chip and Cathy, and their friend Jerry.
 I asked them all a mess of questions, from where we could park to where we could get parts. All three of them were extremely patient and went out of their way to help us.
Cathy gave us permission to park right where we were across the street and Chip and Jerry provided us with the parts store information.  I walked back to Carl and shared all the info. He proceeded to call the recommended parts store and talked to Abram. Abram lived close by, so he said he’d bring the part to us when his shift was done at 6:00 p.m.  
Coincidently, Abram’s brother showed up at the auto parts store, Advance Auto, so Abram had him bring us the part so that we’d have it earlier. Unfortunately, Carl ended up needing another part, but Abram helped on that one and delivered it to us after his shift. Now this part of the story, involving Advance Auto, will come into play in later stories as well.  Both young men were extremely polite and accommodating. It was very refreshing to deal with such promising teenagers.
While Carl was working on the RV, I went back to the store and talked with Cathy. We discussed differences between the food there and Vermont.  Of course one huge difference is the maple syrup.  She strongly informed me that their syrup isn’t anything like ours; I laughed knowingly agreeing. 
I then ordered a cheeseburger and fries. While waiting for the food I talked with her husband and Jerry.  The conversation was fantastic, honest, open, positive and inspiring. I have to say this is a recurring theme through our entire vacation. I felt like Carl and I were in an episode of Twilight Zone where everyone was so nice that it was too good to be true…I kept waiting for all of them to turn into zombies and eat us. 
When a customer came in and took Chip away from the conversation, Jerry and I talked among ourselves for quite a bit. Admittedly, he was bit unique looking as his facial bone structure was different from the norm, and at times it was difficult understanding what he was saying.
We hit it off from the start and found we had very similar ethics and approaches to life. We discussed the youth of today and how many of them don’t seem to have either the parental or personal motivation to get into the working field. I commented how my some of my siblings and I lied about our age in order to get a job. Back then you could get away with that. Some of us started working at McDonalds at age 15 even though the legal age was 16. Heck, my older brothers would get up at 4:00 am and hitchhike to work or ride a bike the 4 miles (in the dark) to prep the facility for breakfast, right down to cleaning the toilets.
We also discussed our commonality in appreciating the small things in life, positive attitudes, and being thankful for what we have instead of being angry at what we don’t.  It was then that I shared some of my challenges, and he responded with sharing some of his.
Jerry explained that he was born with Treacher Collins Syndrome (TCS). According to NORD, TCS is a rare genetic disorder characterized by distinctive abnormalities of the head and face. Craniofacial abnormalities tend to involve underdevelopment of the zygomatic complex, cheekbones, jaws, palate and oral cavity (mouth).”  
Jerry shared that he was born without ears and with structural issues in his face. He lifted his hat and hair and showed me: no ears. I never would have known. 
When I asked him how he can hear and talk, he explained the surgery he had. Doctors implanted a microphone in one ear and a receiver in the other ear. He also has (very expensive) fake ears that he can glue on and take off when he wants. But he said, “I don’t wear them. Not only is the glue horrible, but I just figure God made me this way, why would I want to change?”  He also told me, “God gave me what I needed to do the things that I need to do.  I have two eyes, two arms and hands and two legs.  I am not defined by my disability.  People need to put things behind and move forward.”  He is so freaking cool!
We talked until my food was ready and Chip called me to the counter. I put my credit card in the reader to pay. It showed $5.35 on the amount, and I said, “Is that all it is?” He said, “You are all set.” I thanked him (thinking he gave me a discount) and left my card in the reader. Still nothing happened. He repeated, “You are all set.” So, I looked back at the reader to see if I had to press something, and still nothing happened. Cathy pipped up, “He’s telling you that you are all set.  It’s all taken care of.  Have a good night and we hope you sleep well. Oh, and I added some fried corn for you in case you like it or have never had it.”
Dang, I was just overwhelmed with appreciation! I asked them if they were huggers. They all adamantly said, “No.” But Jerry did reach out to shake my hand, and Chip gave me a fist bump.
This was only the first day of our trip! I have so many more stories of random acts of kindness and beauty to share; it’s hard to only share one piece at a time.
Before submitting this column to The Islander, I reached out to these new friends to talk about what I was writing and ensure that they were comfortable with it. At the same time, I asked if they had anything they would like to share.
Jerry told me that is very proud of himself and doesn’t see himself as handicapped.  He shared that two years ago he met his biological mother for the first time!  They now have a very special, loving relationship.  Jerry said, “She is absolutely beautiful inside and out.”  
He is so proud that he said he was honored if a picture of him and his mother were in the column.  See, she also has TCS and she has been a fighter from the beginning as well.  Jerry told me with pride, “She would never go on disability.  She did whatever she could.”
Cathy wrote; “Think positive, thank God every day when you wake up! Spread love, joy and happiness it doesn’t cost anything to be nice! It was a pleasure meeting you and your other half I’m glad you got home safe. I showed everyone your calendar they all got a kick out of it! God Bless and good luck on your article. If you need anything else just ask.”
And, as I am writing this Cathy called me on the phone. We talked more about our meeting and I thanked her again for her kindness. She said, “It’s what I learned from my Grandfather. He died from cancer, but he lived his life to the fullest.” 
I have to admit, this hit me hard. My Grampa was and is still an inspiration to me. My Grampa, RIP, lived his life to the fullest. I miss him.
Who would have thought that being stuck overnight at a gas station would be so heartwarming and fun?

Julie Gagnon Prior resides in Grand Isle with her partner Carl and their 5 dogs. Prior has been battling Lyme Disease for several years, which she contacted by a tick bite on Nov. 1, 2008.
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She has recently published the “Vermont Pin-Up Girl” calendar in an effort to raise funds for Vermont Lyme, www.vtlyme.org  You can purchase the calendar at many local businesses and online by emailing [email protected] or view the calendar online on facebook, @Vermont Pinup Girl Calendar.
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The Islander will periodically publish “Julie’s World” to share her unique perspective of the world we share.

​WHAT DOES THE NAME "JULIE' MEAN?
According to sevenreflections.com, You are honest, benevolent, brilliant and often inventive, full of high inspirations. You are courageous, honest, determined, original and creative. You are a leader, especially for a cause. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. 

NOW, WELCOME TO JULIE'S WORLD
One point made in the above description of “Julie” is uncertainty.  For me that biggest uncertainty is the question of if I may offend someone in my most sincere efforts in making the world a better place.  I endure great moments of struggle when I am either misunderstood or offensive in any manner.
That being said, please be sure to provide any feedback that you may have if you feel that I misrepresent anyone or anything within this column.
I am thrilled to be able to have the opportunity to share my views on life, and look forward to offering an often misunderstood yet also appreciated view that comes from “Julie’s World”.
Today I write my first column, and it is Mother’s Day, 2019.
My day was spent with family, my folks and my kids, helping my 76 year old mother prepare her amazing flower gardens for the upcoming full bloom.  Completely exhausted and in pain, I headed home from her house in Waterbury Center to Carl and Doggies in Grand Isle.
Since a dear friend in South Hero has lost her husband months ago, I have tried to stop by to spend time with her every weekend.  Last weekend I didn’t make it, and it was looking like I wouldn’t get there this weekend either.
But, as I was driving home, listening to the radio, I felt an extremely hard tug on my heart.  It was a tug that was pulling me in the direction of her space and arms.  My heart (despite my pain and head) knew it needed to stop by her place.
I called my significant other and told him that I was stopping there on the way.  With his full support; I pulled into her driveway off Route 2.
Like so many other times that I am dumbfounded by the way that the universe works; this evening was no exception.  I walked in to a huge hug and when we walked into the kitchen, she showed me her purchases from the day.  Well, another friend had let her borrow a wood burner and she had gone to a store and purchased some wood to use it on.  She knew exactly what she wanted to carve yet wasn’t exactly sure how to go about it.
It was at this point that I was so grateful that I had listened to whatever voice it was that told me to stop by.  See, I happened to have, in my car; my own wood burning set, carbon paper, and examples of creations that I had made for my friends at Robinson’s Hardware.
So, here’s the thing; anything that I write in this column is the complete truth.  I wear my heart on my sleeve and also put my stories in that same space.
I showed my friend some of my own creations and explained to her that she could do the same!  We set out to begin the process.  First, we found the “perfect” outline / drawing on Google images.  Then we printed it and I gave her some carbon paper and taught her how to tape it all down onto the wood.  I gave her the tip off one of my wood burners; a tip that is easy and smooth to use for a beginner.  
Within minutes she had created a masterpiece that she herself was overwhelmed with!  Excitedly, she talked about how wonderful of a project it is, and how she was going to continually improve it.  She expressed excitement about how it took her mind off of her troubles but also energized her because she was going to be able to make personalized gifts for others.
This, my friends, is your first exposure to “Julie’s World”.  It is a world in which I try to listen to my gut.  I try to get past my own issues and to help others; ultimately, indirectly, helping myself.
Seriously, within about 15 minutes, my friend (in deep mourning over the loss of the love of her life) wood burned this box: One of the things about my world, is that I try so hard to listen or see the signs that I should follow….
Not necessarily for myself (although it seems to always help me in ways) but in ways that help others.
That to me, helping others, is one of the greatest things that we can do as humans on this earth.