Things That Happen, Just Happen … And That’s How It Is
Have you ever had a few things happen to you that just didn’t make any sense at all … sure you have, things happen … life happens and that’s how it is.
Well, yesterday was one of those days for me, it started out just fine but as life would have it, I needed a few things from the grocery store. So, I took what I thought would be a short ride down the road to quickly grab those items and be back in time to watch a little NCIS.
The theory was sound … but that was as far as it went. On my way back home, after picking up the few things that I needed from the market, that’s when things started to go awry. My car would not start, it cranked up and I put it in drive but as soon as I was in the middle of the lane, even before I could initiate a complete turn … she stalled and turned off. Their I was in a stalled automobile, almost completely blocking 2 lanes of a very busy shopping center.
Did I panic, well not immediately … I tried time and time again to get her started, each time that I turned the key it sounded as though she was about to turn over … but after about 15 minutes of failed attempts, I panicked a bit. At first people were just passing by and looking at me curiously. No one stopped and asked if there was a problem, if anything their glances indicated that they thought I was the problem and not my car.
I quickly called a couple of people via my cell to ask for suggestions, any quick remedy that might help crank-her-up, before calling AAA. Meanwhile, not only was I getting ‘the look’ but folks were now trying too exit the shopping center by way of the aisle that I was blocking. Now, keep in mind I was completely blocking an SUV on my passenger side of the car from exiting from the lane that I was in. However, there were other lanes that any other out-going traffic could easily access.
This was a multi-lane shopping center. Since I was close to the CENTERS main road, people who now were entering the shopping center and decided that they had to park in the lane that I was unavoidably blocking, were patiently/impatiently waiting for me to move so that they could pull in. Numerous times I had to stick my head out of the window and direct traffic, oh … and my hazzards meant absolutely nothing.
There was an empty space in front of my car to the right in a handicapped parking zone, a little old lady without any noticeable level of difficulty navigated her auto into that space [she did park a bit on an angle, by the way] and she then bounced out of the car and into the store in a flash. Now, there were 2 other available spots for ‘handicapped parking’ located opposite to that spot that she could have taken, but ‘no’ she had to add to the chaos.
Folks pulled up behind me and waited for me to move, some honked me but all looked extremely irratated, in either case all I could do was inform them that I was unable to move, and in a snap they found another way out of the lot. And the huge SUV that I was totally blocking, just drove straight ahead to exit, while everyone else seemed to think that backing out to access the blocked lane … was mandatory.
Now, all of this was happening while I was talking to an AAA representative … me directing traffic, people honking me, mean looks and what felt like utter and total chaos. And during all of this, the little old spry lady bounced out of the store and into her vehicle, and circumvented my disabled car like a PRO.
Meanwhile my son was on the way, as was AAA … I hoped. You see, I called them and after strenuously trying to explain my situation and my location to AAA [you see I was still directing traffic] … I was told that a vehicle would be there in an hour and 30 minutes to tow me away. Okay, guys/gals that when I totally caved. I was on the verge of screaming but I still managed somehow to hold it together. In much detail I re-explained my current location and situation and predictament too the operator at length, with the hopes that I could acquire a vehicle in under a hour and a half. She then told me she would relay the urgency of the situation to her supervisor and hopefully someone would be there sooner.
So, here I was still trying to hold it together, when this lady in a small little red thing that was across from me slightly facing my left entered into this little drama. She had been sitting in her car for about 10 minutes, I didn’t have any idea what she was doing but she suddenly turned around in her seat, shrugged her shoulders … as if to say DUH, what is your problem, get that vehicle out of the way. That’s when I started screaming … and I quote, THIS CAR ISN’T MOVING … IT’S DISABLED, GO AROUND ME! I think she got it, cause that’s what she did.
The only redeeming thing that occurred during this whole insane episode, was that a lady approached my car and asked if I needed a push. At the same time, a friend called and suggested that I try something I hadn’t and ‘lo and behold’ my car started to idle, I tried to let this lady know that I was okay, but AAA’s contact was also calling … I asked both him and my friend to hold just a moment so that I could end the conversation and thank this lone concerned citizen … when the fellow on the phone started too act out on the phone because I had asked him for just a minute.
I didn’t thank that lady and I really should have … and that so bother’s me!
When I got home I was so wound-up, I had to walk it off. I did about two miles before I started to feel almost normal again …
Things happen … and sometimes there just isn’t anyway to prepare for them.
