There is survival, there is security and then there’s synergy. Synergy is tantamount to service. Survival and security put holds on evolution - service helps evolution along, for one and all.

Our driver’s side rear wheel sheared off the other day while driving at 70 mph (we had the car serviced two-weeks ago - tires aligned and balanced, and all brakes checked at Sun Automotive). I was driving home from Salem, OR with my wife and child when I felt a sudden and violent wobble in the car. I told my wife sitting next to me that this was serious as I flicked on the emergency flashers while looking for an escape route and swerved off the highway to the left (I was in the left lane) immediately. As soon as I hit the dirt median the rear wheel sheared free of the car and I skidded to a controlled stop. My little girl’s sleep in the rear seat was undisturbed. I smiled…

That was Friday night, the beginning of Memorial Day Weekend. Traffic was extremely heavy. I gathered the errant wheel (which fortunately ended up resting off the road also and not crossing into oncoming traffic!) and surveyed the situation - no lug nuts. The last lug nut had sheared off, leaving a shortened, threaded bolt sitting haplessly in the axle assembly. The lug nuts were few but our blessings were many. I managed to respond with quickened reflexes and bring the vehicle to a complete stop with a 30-foot skid mark in the median separating I-5 North and South at mile marker 209 heading South.

In the ensuing 3-hours - GEICO failed to respond appropriately (hitherto they had been impeccable), even dropping our call without calling back - unacceptable. One driver (exempting the Sheriff on patrol) stopped to check and see if we needed help - his name was Justin Johnson. Justin’s action may fall short of heroism for lack of need - but he stepped to the plate with admirable virtue. As it happened that nothing was happening - I ended up removing lug nuts from the other wheels to secure the lost wheel back onto the vehicle and continue home - slowly and safely.

The following morning, after three stops looking for the appropriate lug nuts to secure the wheel appropriately, a young man named Bryan Barnhurst, at Les Schwab Tires in Junction City finally offered a solution - perfectly fit lug nuts from another wheel manufacturer. That sounds simple - but others refused my imploring them for temporarily fitted lug nuts to prevent shearing forces from creating another possible catastrophe… just until the manufacturer’s requisite lug nuts arrived on order. A thank you to Bryan for commendable service - far above and beyond the American average of apathetic “That’s not my job!” mentality (which is one more reason job’s are going overseas).

We’ve become one nation under the influence of litigation, liability and lethargy. How reprehensible that one (non-mandatory) driver, of 15 to 20 thousand that passed us that night, stopped to help. How many couldn’t see a stranded family in the exposed median? Unacceptable. We’ve devolved from a service oriented population to shamefully privileged spectators. Standing for something does not mean being part of “the-wave” in our favorite stadium watching our favorite pastime. It’s past time for a change…

Synergy is our saving grace - otherwise there is no real security and survival is tenuous at best. Social order necessitates synergy - all else is controlled chaos (synergy is opposed by stochasticism). There is no law and order - law is prescribed by disorder. Synergy mandates service - unequivocally. Capitalism rose because it capitalized on improving organized services. And Capitalism will fall if its’ services become laws - that’s communism…. or worse, the devolving and eventual death of liberty and justice for all.

Synergy is the gestalten ambiance of a community’s genius loci - Tris.

Synergy is leavened service - Tris.

Stop observing. Start serving. Tris