Q: About two years ago, on a very rainy day, I ran into something on a two-lane road in Morgan Hill and tore the heck out of a front tire. I pulled over as soon as I could at the corner of Santa Teresa and Watsonville Road, a fairly busy intersection.

By the way, I was 87 then.

Marjorie Apel, Gilroy

A: With COVID-19, shelter-in-place orders, learning my sister-in-law in Iowa has the virus, and being unable to see our 2-year-old grandson, we need some cheery news today. So back to Marjorie we go.

Q: My cellphone had broken down a couple of days before, and I was waiting for a new one to come in the mail, so I had no way to communicate with anyone. I got out and started waving at cars going by, hoping to find someone who would let me use their phone. Need I tell you that a lot of cars passed me by.

Marjorie Apel

A: But then up drove an angel.

Q: Soon a lovely young man pulled over and asked what he could do to help. I told him my story and showed him my busted flip phone and he immediately let me use his phone to call AAA. After I got it straightened out with them, I thanked him profusely and told him he could go.

Marjorie Apel

A: But he would not leave.

Q: He asked if I didn’t want to call someone else, so I called one of my granddaughters who lived within a few miles. She said she would come right down and wait with me, but he insisted on staying until someone was there to keep me company. I couldn’t believe how nice and thoughtful he was.

A: And …

Q: Everything came out all right and both my granddaughter and I kept telling him how great he was. I offered him money, which he would not take.

I’m sending this along so that people will know there are still very thoughtful and kind helpers around.

Marjorie Apel

A: Young man, wherever you are, thanks from Marjorie and the Roadshow faithful. You handled this perfectly.

Q: The automatic inflation-adjusted gas tax increase is a way the state can increase taxes without having to vote on an increase, and therefore look bad to their constituents. It’s a sneaky way of increasing our taxes without us realizing it.

Todd Simmons, Palo Alto

A: Not sneaky, but smart perhaps. The 36-cent a gallon gas tax of the early 1990s declined to one-third fewer dollars in real terms over the next decade. That’s a major reason our roads began falling apart.

Join Gary Richards for an hourlong chat noon Wednesday at www.mercurynews.com/live-chats. Look for Gary Richards at Facebook.com/mr.roadshow or contact him at mrroadshow@bayareanewsgroup.com or 408-920-5335.