I pull off the road and into the parking lot of a local grocery store when the car starts to sputter and convulse. Then there is the death rattle and the car dies completely. I only just coast to a parking spot... then all is eerily quiet.
Now what?
It is a hot day, I am about a mile from home and I have the dogs with me in the back seat. Great!
I sit and try to gather my wits, but without air conditioning, the car is instantly turning into an oven. The dogs start to whine knowing something is up. I quickly decide to hoof-it home on foot and call a tow truck from there. No more time to think...I'll just get the leads that we always keep on hand in the trunk and start walking...
I pop open the trunk and start searching for dog's leases. I shift things around, but I can't find them anywhere. Really great!
Now, how am I going to get home with the dogs?
In despair, I look up and away from the car. What do I see, but a tow truck sitting in the shade cast by the grocery store.
Boy, I tell you, that tow truck was like a pitcher of ice water in the middle of a desert!
I walk over and shyly ask him if he is available for hire. Well, would you believe it? Turns out he is a neighbour! Can you believe my good-bad luck?
We quickly come to an arrangement. He'll drop me and the dogs off at the house and then tow the car over to our mechanic's shop. There is only one fly in the ointment: he won't allow the dogs in his cab. Not that I blame him. So he hitches up my red Toyota and the boys remain behind in the car.
As we drive away, I look back to see the dogs jumping around excitedly in the car, barking their fool heads off.
Anyway... to make a long story shorter, the car's engine was toast. Two thousand dollars, and the cost of a car rental later, it's finally repaired. Last night we dropped the rental car off. I needed help with my book draw, and thought why not get the nice gentlemen at the car rental place to help me out.
Meet the friendly fellows at our local Enterprise Rent-a-Car:
I love the look on the face of the guy on the left. "They don't pay me enough for this!"
and his face again, "I can't believe I am seriously doing this."
And here his resignation, "Sigh...Let's just get this over with."
All joking aside, they were both really great sports and very helpful with our rental car. Thanks guys!
And the winner of a copy of the book Natural Companions is Canadian Gardening Joy.
Congratulations Joy! I will be in touch shortly to get your mailing address, so I can get the book off to you in the mail.
For those of you who didn't win this time, I will have a new gardening book giveaway shortly. Unlike the lottery, the odds are excellent.
Have a great long weekend everybody!!!
Sorry to hear about your car trouble. The Enterprise guys really were good sports.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to the blogger Canadian Gardening Joy.
The expressions on those guys faces!
ReplyDeleteWhat a tale!! I think that is a lesson in keeping an extra set of leashes (or some rope) in the car. wow. Sorry for the engine being dead...oh my.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Joy! And those car rental guys were very good sports.