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| Dan after installing a new battery in his truck at Walmart at 11:30pm! |
LACKING AAA NIGHT-TIME SERVICE IN TOMBSTONE, ARIZONA - I have always had AAA service and have relied on it to get us out of a jam before with dead car batteries. So, it was 11pm and we were confronted with a dead truck battery. I called AAA.
I learned 2 things. One, when you're in Tombstone, you're far away from service. AAA said that it would be about 90 minutes to get a truck to us. I assume it was coming from Tucson, which is 1 hr and 15 minutes drive at 72 miles.Two, they didn't offer replacement battery service out there in the desert. So, they would jump the truck and we would have to drive it to the hotel, and call them again in the morning so we could drive around looking for an auto mechanic shop or auto parts store. I said okay, and they promised to text me updates.
LOOKING FOR OTHER HELP - Dan and I decided to check back in town (it's a small, walkable town) so we saw an open saloon, but opted not to ask anyone in there because it was loud, rowdy and there were several people who appeared loopy. We did find a variety store closing up, so we asked the young man who worked there for help. He directed us to the Marshall's office, 3 blocks away. So, we went there.
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| I'm sure this Marshall helped us |
A BIG MARSHALL HELPS US - We knocked on the door of the Marshall's office (yes, it was locked) and a huge guy in uniform came out asking what we needed. He had to be about 6 foot 4 inches and built like Dolph Lundgren (the tall , muscular actor from the Rocky films of the 1980s). The Marshall told us to walk to the truck and he would meet us there (why he didn't ask us to get in his car and drive us all together, I don't know).. He met us and used a portable battery jumper. He told us to drive 16 miles to the nearest 24 hour Walmart (the only thing open) and get a replacement battery. We did.Of course I called and canceled AAA service (it only took 30 minutes to get the Marshall's help). I found a picture of the officer from the Marshall's Office whom I believe is the guy who helped us. He was awesome. Thank you, Tombstone Marshall's Office!
WALMART IN THE DARK - Nothing like driving through back roads in a desert area in the dark... that's basically where the road went that led us to Walmart. I stayed in the truck and kept it running while Dan checked for a battery. I was relieved when he came out with one. He said it was the last one left. We changed the battery in the parking lot and headed back to the hotel, relieved!
SO, if you get stuck in Tombstone, Arizona, only Walmart is open, and it's 16 miles away. And AAA service will be there in 90 minutes. Or, you could opt to ask a good looking, but intimidating, towering mass of muscle who works at the Marshall's office!
NEXT: Boot Hill
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