Victor Drove His Car to a Small Village When He Suddenly Noticed a Young Woman Standing by the Roadside. It Was Already Late and There Was No One Else Around. He Pulled Over. – “Need a Lift?”

Victor drives his lorry down a quiet country lane, approaching a small English village. Its already late, and the winding road is empty except for him. Suddenly, he notices a girl by the roadside, standing near the old wooden bus stop. He slows to a stop.

“Need a lift?” the girl asks hopefully.

“Of course,” Victor replies. “Not many cars pass this way at this hour. Have you been waiting long?”

“I have,” she says, and unexpectedly, she starts to cry. Victor looks at her, startled and concerned.

Victors lorry smells of fresh pastieshis favourite ones, with potato and onion, which his mum baked earlier for his lunch and which have come in handy on the road.

It’s a holiday today, but Victor is workinghe’s got a shipment that needs to get delivered, holiday or not.

He reaches for another still-warm pasty, eats it contentedly, then turns on the radio, letting some cheery pop music lift his mood as he continues his journey.

Night falls by the time Victor reaches the edge of the village. Passing the lonely bus shelter, his headlights catch the figure of a girl, her arm outstretched, hoping for a lift.

He pulls in to the side. It’s clear from her relief as she hurries over that shes been trying unsuccessfully to flag down a lift for some time.

“Need a lift?” Victor asks again.

Shes shivering a little.

“Yes, please. Not many cars still about, is there? Its proper late. Youve been here long?”

“Hours, I think,” she answers, and again tears fill her eyes.

Victor studies her, surprised. “Something happened?” he asks gently.

Between sniffles, she begins to explain:

“My name is Alice. Todays Old New Years Day, and a colleague invited me to a gathering at her village cottage to celebrate. Her husband was to make a barbecue; the table would be full of food and drink. She said to call her when I arrived, and shed come meet me at the bus stop by the village shop.”

She takes a shaky breath. “Ive just split up with my boyfriend before Christmas, and she didnt want me stewing at home alone, so here I am. I caught the bus heading for Little Rockfield, but when I got off and rang her, she said, ‘Just pop into the shop, Ill be five minutes.'”

Alice glances around the shadowy lane. “But theres nothing here, and the village itself is nearly a quarter mile away from the stop.”

Shed gotten off the wrong busthe destination said ‘Oakleigh’, and the place shed meant to reach, Little Rockfield, was the other way entirely. Her bus trundled off before she realised, and no matter how loudly she shouted, the driver never heard. She soon discoveredit was the last bus of the night.

She tried waiting for a passing car, but none came, and though she considered walking to the next village, she decided instead to see if she could catch a lift.

“So Ive ended up standing here almost three hours,” she finishes. “If you hadnt come along, I dont know what Id do. Thank youreally.”

“Lets be on first name terms then, shall we?” Victor says with a smile. Alice nods, managing a smile herself.

Victor likes Alice instantly: shes pretty, unaffected, entirely unpretentious. Shes clearly independent. He stops his lorry.

“All warmed up now? Time for something to eat. My mum makes the best potato pasties; help yourself.”

They share their dinnerAlice has cold meats, some cheese, and a bar of dark chocolate in her bag. Soon, full and relaxed, they settle down for the night, Alice stretching out along the upper bunk, Victor taking the seats below. Just as they settle under their jackets, Alice asks quietly:

“Victor, are you married?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Well, Ive only just now met a girl I really like,” Victor says with a wink, “but I havent told her yet.”

She laughs. “I see.”

“Come on, let’s get some sleepI need to get this delivery in on time,” he says.

The rest of the trip goes smoothly. Alice laughs, saying its the first real adventure shes ever known. Stranded or not, shes glad for how things turned out.

As they approach the city again, Victor, whos grown more certain with each mile that fate has sent him someone special, asks for Alices number.

“What about that girl you mentionedthe one you like?” Alice teases.

“I meant you, of course,” Victor grins. “Youre wonderful, and Id like to see more of you, if youd agree.”

“Id like that too,” Alice says. “You didnt leave me stranded, and youve been a real gentleman all the way.”

Victor and Alice get married that April. Some things really are meant to befate works in strange and wonderful ways.