Yup, I’m on break. If you’re reading this I’m probably sitting on a couch back at home playing Radiata Stories. Or, if by some miracle I’m motivated to, possibly finishing one of the numerous games I’ve been neglecting to finish.
Or possibly, by another miracle, playing Tales of the Abyss. If it was mailed to me I think I’d die of happiness… *obvious hinting*
So I had a fun time the other day coming back from training in Toledo (part of Bujinkan, y’all! w00t-ness!). The training itself just served to further my understanding on how I am completely and utterly a noob at this art… Been going at it for three and a half years now, but I am still a speck in the grand scheme of things, especially when compared to some of the other completely awesome people out there…
So we’re on our way back. Sensei and some of the other members stayed behind to meet for lunch, so it was myself, driving my car, and my friend, driving his car, along with a few passengers for both of us. I followed him, since this was my first time driving from good ol’ West Lafayette to Toledo (and hence, the opposite as well), and since my friend – I shall call him Goober – had driven it before I didn’t give him the copy of the directions I had gotten previously from sensei, thinking he would be fine.
Then he misses our turn.
From there on out he proceded to take us through random unknown back paths on his shotgun partner’s hunches, eventually getting back closer to the road we missed, but not after what amounted to about an hour’s delay…
But my story digresses. In fact, it hasn’t even started. My story is about me, you see, not him. But I want you to know that while I wasted his time, he wasted mine, too, so we’re even.
Basically, at one point before we get back to our intended highway, he pulls into a small, cramped Citco station. Confused, cuz we had both filled up before leaving and I still had 3/4 a tank, I pull in behind, and it is then explained to us all that his partner had need of the relieving station (heretofore known as “bathroom”), and thus I pulled my car into a slot and turned it off to wait.
A few minutes later they appear again. I settle into my now well-known seat, and proceed to turn on the car.
It doesn’t turn.
Not just “doesn’t turn on,” doesn’t even turn. With much confusion I look at my battery’s gauge. It says half-full. A little over, actually. But then again, my oil says the same thing and has for the entire trip. I don’t believe it. So I have Goober pull out his jumper cables to give me a jump. He tests quick, I have plenty of juice, and hooking them up and turning the key produces nothing. Again, no turn.
We check my oil. I was badly in need of more; luckily, due to a wonderful father, I have two quarts in my trunk. We proceed to add one. My coolant was low, too; again, my father had me liberally stocked, so Goober pours some in there as well. I knew my windshield wiper fluid wasn’t the problem – I’d just filled it the other day…
So Goober’s partner gets on the phone and calls his dad for some advice. They mutter for a while about water in the pipes and what fluids were needed (at this point, none), and then my shotgun climbs in and requests me to put it in neutral to see if a running start would help (though mine’s an automatic – would that even work?).
It is at this time that we all find out I’d never put it in park. No indeedy, I was still in drive.
I like how my shotgun said this best – this was God’s way of making sure I didn’t burn out on oil (I was raaaather low at the time…). It wasn’t my FAULT, per se. Just God giving a helping hand.
Yup.
And again, I’d like to point out that this little exercise in safety parking rules only cost us about 20 minutes tops. Goober and his shotgun’s direction dysfunction cost us an hour.
…Then I found $5.
Well that’s all I got. Again, I plan on going home and doing nothing for a while. Possibly finish that picture of Elise I’ve been working on for a month, now. And most of all…
…Merry Christmas. I may not (or may) know you, I may or may not share the same faith as you, I may or may not share the same nationality as you, but Merry Christmas. Be sure to irritate one family member, then afterwards share a beer with them (or a soda, all ye who art under 21). Eat plenty of very-bad-for-your-health foods (NOTHING HEALTHY, GOT THAT?)(This can include anything from Divinity to, for the more adventurous of us, turkey with the skin still attached). And most of all, bask in the love of the season. Just take a moment and let it soak on in.
Peace out, y’all.
Peace out.
