It was a drop-my-keys, spill-my-tea-and-honey, trip-over-the-dog morning. It was a full moon, I have since discovered. The little warnings did not go unnoticed. I tread lightly and drive more carefully when the signs are pointing to a climax of trouble before the sun goes down day. The crazies were out the whole three hours north via Interstate 5. I parked and gathered my things, collecting the bags that launched themselves onto the street when my dog, Clemens, hopped out of the car. My daughter had an hour of beautification time before the One Direction concert. I took the time to reflect and rest. It felt like a storm was brewing so I hunkered in for a bit.
I went to start my car and it wouldn't behave. I checked the smart key, not sure what I was looking for. I tried the start button again and it started and stopped again. Oh my, a dead battery or alternator or something of that nature. A pain in the ass. The day is cursed. I am irritated. I take a quick inventory of my slights toward others, gossips and cut offs in traffic and such. Please God, I am sorry for anything that I have done to compromise my integrity this week, can you just start my car for me? Another go at the start and it did. Thank you!
The traffic stopped us. So we walked and bicycle cabbed it to the finish line, the sold out venue. Circling back to the possessed car an hour later, which started right up. The curse cleared up. I waited the few hours and went to pick my daughter up. Assuming all was well, I took for granted the car would work. Shoot, I forgot to be grateful. The car wouldn't start. Dammit, another favor universe please. Nope. My car couldn't even lock, the smart key losing its IQ points in this scene. I felt overwhelmed, think quick. My honey went to get his car out of the garage after gathering all of my stuff and taking it with him. I took a bag of left over car garbage and tossed it out. We are almost on our way, late. I dig in my purse to text, but my phone had disappeared. I looked in the car, under it, in my pockets, etc. My man calls me and the garbage blasts the soundtrack of Chariots of Fire. I had thrown my little apple away with the hours old bento. This little string of disasters threw me off and now my IQ points were taking a decline in numbers like my smart kay, rapidly. Teriyaki sticky but recovered phone. I whisper, thank you.
Next am, my car is towed to the dealer. They don't have time to check my car out today (I need to be back home in Portland that evening). Sorry ma'am, all of our techs are in training. No loaner cars. Geez, I feel like I am moving through molasses. What is going to go right? Eddie the tow truck driver turned it around. I focus on his prowess. He is charming and helpful. He checks the battery and jumps it, it struggles but makes a come back. We decide to leave it with the dealer anyway and not risk the drive back. My sweet friend, Gretchen, offers to pick us up for lunch. An unexpected treat. As we leave, the Manager of the car service department says he will take a look at my car (thank you) and he replaces the battery while I am standing there. Want me to wash your car while you have lunch? I want to check the battery in an hour anyway, to make sure there isn't another problem to correct. Thank you, yes. The day is turning around.
$262 and I am back in business. I like the odd turn of the day as I get a daughter day and college pal day and a nice chat with the car guy and the tow truck guy that just moved here from Ohio. We drive through a neighborhood to get to the 520 bridge. I stop for gas and there is a tv while I pump (so funny as we Oregonians are not trained to pump our own gas) so I watch a bit of Jimmy Fallon on the tele. He cracks me up. We pull out. I am calm and humored. As if detecting my relief, the universe wakes me up, again. What the hell is going on now? A truck races, in slow motion like the movies, toward us and it turns over and keeps going on its cab and then rights itself, crashing between a pole and a mailbox, feet away from us. We call 911 to report the accident. Thank you, it didn't hit us. Thank you, the passengers are moving around. The airbag opens and the glass shatters. We are calm. We are shocked and so thankful. The police, tow truck and ambulance are on their way.
It takes an hour for us to get 10 miles ahead in rush hour traffic and we don't even complain for a second. We are ok, the car is ok now, we have had a nice day despite the curse. We pick up my man after work and we head to Portland. It takes another hour to get on the freeway. Nearly giddy from relief that we were spared a darker ending today, we welcome the traffic. The sun is going down and we pass a massive fire on the roadside. The wind is blowing fiercely and causing the trees to catch one another on fire. A car that just crashed has caught fire. The burst of flame spread so quickly to the hillside. The sirens for the ambulance have yet been announced. We pass this shocking scene and pray they come soon to save the folks and the forest. The traffic heading north will be stopped for some time. Thank you for sparing us again, today.
This day was one filled with signs I can not discern. Tow trucks, upside down trucks, a dead battery, a roadside fiery accident, hours of delays and a tossed away phone. We stayed calm and carried on. Thank you universe for the obstacles that inspired a positive perspective shift. It is so very easy to be cranky about our days when they do not panning out as planned. My day turned out just right, once I gathered that a dead battery can yield a viewpoint of thankfulness for my dear life.