A short time ago, as he often does, my husband went out to do some evening grocery shopping.

While on his way home, the engine of his truck stopped amid traffic and, despite several tries, would not restart.

Being the second vehicle behind a stoplight, my husband immediately engaged the four-way flashers to signal his problem to other drivers. Roadside assistance was called, with an estimated time of arrival of 40 minutes. He was alone, so there was nothing he could do but wait for a tow truck.

After he got home, he related to me that, no sooner had that stoplight turned green, drivers behind him began to beep, yell, curse and “wave” at him with fewer than all five fingers. This behavior was not occasional, but went on the entire time he sat there.

At one point, frustrated, he even got out of the vehicle, pointed to the engine area, shrugged, and threw his hands in the air — but the untoward behavior continued.

After a while, a good Samaritan stopped to assist by nudging my husband’s truck off the road with his.

As he was leaving with my husband’s thanks, he turned back to say, “God bless you.” It was then that my husband noticed that his helper had only one leg.

He was a true gentleman.

Recently, Butler was cited as being among the 10 best small towns in which to live. I will have to continue to think on that.

I know of at least one evening that, with the exception of a single fine man among many, it surely was not.