Another Car Crisis!

First you want to know how last week's car crisis turned out, eh? :)

Okay, I went out to try the driver's door again as soon as I'd finished publishing last week's issue of the RoseBouquet. It opened a crack for my fingers, but it would NOT open all the way. I had another go at it with my hair dryer, and the screw driver.

Then I went into the house to call Cousin Gary and ask if he'd come give it a try. He asked when my appointment was and said he'd come a bit before, and if he couldn't get the door open he would drive me to my appointment. He asked if I had a heater. I assumed he meant a portable small model and answered, that no, I didn't have such a heater.

I was a little disappointed in Gary as I'd meant to do an errand before and another after my appointment at 3 pm. But I realized that he had his own life to life too.

As I went back to the car to try again, it came to me that the car has a heater. If I could get in maybe through another door I could turn up that heater and see if that would solve the problem.

Only the driver's door has a keyhole but all the other doors unlock or lock when I lock the driver's door. So... since the lock had opened, what if I could get inside via another door?!

Well, I had parked too close to the right side tent wall; I couldn't get in on that side, but I tried the back door right behind the driver's door. Voila! It opened. So I crawled inside, flipped the cassette storage arm-rest forward between the front seats and got one knee on it. I was able to reach the ignition, so I put my key in and the car came to life. I quickly turned the heater slider up to the top - for full-blast heat. There! (I tried but could not reach the inside door handle).

So I went into the house for 15 minutes, then when I came out the door opened just fine!

I quickly went back inside to call Gary and told him he did not need to come after all. Then I hurried on my way to do my afternoon errands and chiropractor appointment.

Well, this past Sunday I had another car crisis! After church I'd stopped on Circle Drive for a quick shopping errand, then headed home along Idyllwyld. When I turned onto 29th Street, the steering wheel was suddenly very tight and HARD to turn. I was okay then until I wanted to turn onto Ave. H. In the middle of that intersection the car stalled, and rolled towards a power pole. Sensing traffic backing up on the other directions, I quickly started it again and managed to back up a few feet to miss the pole, and cranking the steering wheel with all my might, managed to get facing south on Ave. H. There is a hill there for several blocks, so it was almost as if I were coasting down it. But turning onto 23rd Street, I had to crank the wheel again with all the muscles I could muster!

I decided against heading for my tent garage, as that would make it difficult for a tow truck to get the car out. Instead I rolled to a stop on 23rd just on the opposite side of my house. From there I locked the door, and headed into the house.

I called the CAA and they said they would give me a free tow, but where would I like the car taken. I explained that my usual auto service center is closed on Sundays. So they advised me to call again in the morning and they would do the tow then.

That is what I did yesterday. Atomic Auto has been my car depot since I moved here, so they know me well. They paid for a cab to take me home, and assured me that when the car was ready they would send one to pick me up. They thought it would be done about noon.

I was busy on my Christmas letter, but a bit before 3 pm I decided to call them. Oh yes, the car was ready. My cab would be here in about 10 minutes. I hurried to get ready and stood outside for a while, then in my front porch. That was shelter from the breezes, but not heated. Soon my feet were cold and so after 20 minutes I phoned again. I was assured the cab should be here in 5 minutes. NO sign of it in 15 minutes so I called again. By that time I was telling myself that if I'd started out by foot at 3 I could have been there in 10-15 minutes, but now with my feet so cold in my boots, I didn't dare start out.

Finally, a cab did show up. From what he said about where he had come from, I gathered that they are rather short on cabbies right now.

The gal at the till was making out my invoice when she stopped and held out a box with disposable gloves. She asked me to take one and put it on. Then she held out a plastic bucket with small orange balls in it. I was to pick one. It slipped away on me before I got to see the number on it, but she and another mechanic in the room had seen it: 25.

Then I learned that this meant I got 25% off my bill! Wow! I never saw that kind of blessing before!

Oh, yes, it turns out some serpentine hose had become detacted, which affected the steering. That is replaced, so I'm good to go again.

Yet, I can't help thinking more and more that it is time to switch to a smaller car to fit my shorter size, and that is in better condition. This 2002 Black Beauty may be needing to retire to a nice pasture.

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