no, i think it was a ball...and the ump says?

My car has officially earned its second strike. Last Saturday was the first strike.

Oh, no. Really? It broke down again?

You betcha. And with a real lack of imagination, it did so the same way it had before: gear shift knob just rattling around loose, not even trying to find a gear. Very aggravating.

You were out and about?

Well, no. Fortunately, I was at home. I had moved the car earlier in the driveway when I was mowing the front yard and the car had not even hinted that it had a problem. No. It waited until I was showered and ready to go... then it wouldn't. I was to meet the best-hugger friend at an art reception and had to let him know he would need a different ride home.

How terrible!

Not really. I mean, it could have been raining buckets. And he could have ended up stranded, but didn't.
And when I called my first niece for assistance, she could have been out and about.
Fortunately, she was not.

What about the tow truck?

Well, fortunately, my road assistance picked up the tab on that. I was here, so i knew where to have the car taken, so that was fortunate, too.

Excellent!

Really, it was. My first niece and her family picked me up and we went traipsing off to dine on Italian fare and had a nice meal together.
Then I came home and the librarian fetched me and we went dancing with Magic Rocks, accompanied by a cooling breeze and night view from the roof of the purple and red palms.

Ohhhh-kayyyy! That sounds like fun!

It really was! I had feared I wouldn't be able to get any dancing in, with my car having failed me again. My night's fun was rescued!

Very good. And your car?

Well, knowing the librarian had other plans today, as did my first niece, I decided to take a cue from the wave and researched bus routes. Fortunately, the 31 bus stop is just a few minutes from my front door and it would take me almost to the car shop. Nice! Even better, the trip would only take about 35 minutes, which is pretty incredible, considering how many stops are along the way.
Things were going pretty good. I only waited about ten minutes for the bus. The driver understood that it had been awhile since I rode and was patient with me, reassuring me that this bus would, indeed, take me close to my destination.
So, off we go! And the bus is making good time, too.
And I mistakenly get off about two stops early along my route, but that's only about a quarter-mile off, so I start walking.
And the rains come! Torrential downpour, with gusting winds and thunder and lightning!

Oh my God! Did you have an umbrella???

Seriously, that would NOT have helped! I managed to run up under the eaves of a nearby business and that was helpful for a bit, until the wind started blowing the rain nearly perpendicular. I noticed the side of the building looked a bit more protective, so I ran over there... and was out of the path of the downpour. Whew!
Then it was a matter of waiting it out... and waiting... and waiting. Even after the opaque downpour had slowed to a steady soft rain, it was still enough water falling that I would have been totally soaked long before I reached the car repair shop. Which would be closing in less than an hour.

So... the rain finally stopped?

No, I didn't have to wait that long. When I could tell that the worst of the storm had passed, I ventured under the front overhang again, making me visible to all driving by. So, I'm watching the raindrops hitting the parking lot puddles, watching for a sign that it was safe to hit the street again, and the street came to me!

That sounds like a cute trick.

No, really, I'm just standing there, fairly damp from earlier, and this little, faded red car pulls in and a window lowers partially, and I hear the words "do you need a ride?"

Seriously!? What the hey!

Yeah, right? But there was actually a little concern in the voice. So I looked at the young man driving and told him I was waiting for the rain to stop so I could retrieve my car. And he said he could take me there. So, I made a quick decision and let him do so.
Yeah, I know. You NEVER get into the car of a stranger. N E V E R. But I did.
Fortunately, he was a good guy. He knew the woman who owned the business I was sheltered by and he had been concerned for her sake when he saw me there.
Then he saw my bedraggled self and my butterfly bag and decided to offer help.
Seriously. I think it was my Italian butterfly bag that tipped the scale in my favor, in his eyes.
Maybe.

You must be out of your mind. You got into a stranger's car? And no one knew where you were??? You simply do NOT do that!

But I did. And fortunately, all ended well or I would not be writing this now. Right?
He wasn't a big, burly guy, so I feel sure I could have muscled my way around him. And he was alone in the car, so I wasn't concerned about getting overpowered.
He was a nice young man on his way home from work. And I think he was at least as nervous as I was when I accepted his offer and climbed into the car.
Fortunately, he took me straight to the car repair shop, which wasn't far at all, dropping me off right at the door. Very nice!
Of course, I thanked him several times.
How very fortunate I was that he came along...

How very fortunate you were that he wasn't dangerous...

Yes, yes, yes. I know. And fortunately, the guy at the shop was very understanding of my being put out with them earlier. He had the two cables there waiting for me, explaining what was wrong with them and reiterating what I had already found out: only one of the cables and the bushing had been replaced before.
I guess sometimes we hear what we want to hear. And I had not known of there being twin cables leading from my console to the transmission.
But now I do.
So I waited about fifteen minutes for the rain to slow, then I took my cables and went home. In the rain. Waiting for the car to try to strand me again. Hoping it would not.

And...?

And I arrived home just fine. As did the car.
And I put on dry clothes and tried to decide what to do with my evening. I let my first niece and the karate kid and the wave and the librarian know that I was home. Of course, I didn't tell them about my taking a ride with a stranger.
I didn't want them to fuss at me about it.
I can be a bit too trusting at times, I know.

You think?

Yes. I had thought the librarian and I would go to a new play tonight, but she had an out-of-town friend show up unexpectedly and so those plans changed. Still, I thought I would still go to the play, until my Quaker friend called. He was concerned about my car situation and was a bit upset that I had not called him for a ride! So, I'll do better about that next time...Maybe. You know how stubbornly self-reliant I can be sometimes, right?

SOME times? You do mean, MOST of the time, right?

(Grin.) Maybe. Anywho, he invited me to come to the concert of the cigarbox guitar and cigarbox bass and cigarbox ukelele, so I agreed to go.
What a great idea!
I had expected my copper friend to be there, but she ended up changing her plans.
I did see my baseball foodie friend there and met some of his buddies.
And I did dance! By myself at first, but then joined by a fellow named Jay, who was pretty good on that concrete floor. Woohoo!
And to think, I had not planned to be there at all.
How fortunate that I was!
And afterward, I had dinner with my Quaker friend and his neighbor and she insisted on paying. What a treat!
And now, I am home, and gratefull to be in for the evening.
My librarian asked if I wanted to go out with her and her group tonight, but I need a night off, I think.
Or, if not off, at least early.
G'night, all. And sweet dreams.