Is This Bad Energy or Just Bad Luck?
The Battle to Keep My Old Rusty Jeep Continues
Tonight. Two months after being without my cherished jeep, my only means of independent transportation. One week to the day after getting it out of the shop. One engine richer, $1500 poorer. A simple trip to town for Taco Thursday grocery shopping and gas.
Lost for 25 minutes with an empty gas tank on an island that is only 2 miles wide. First gas station. Put in credit card, select octane, pump says "see attendant". Go see attendant but sign on door says "back in 5 minutes". Try next pump. Same result.
Drive off to next gas station. Discover gas cap missing. Have replaced it twice in last six months. Must have left it at first gas station. Oh well. Need gas. Put in credit card, select octane, pump says "see cashier". Cashier shrugs and hits some buttons. I go back to pump. Still says "see cashier". I give up and circle back to first gas station to look for gas cap. Cap and attendant still missing.
Drive on to third gas station. Yep. "See attendant". Go inside and use card to prepay for $15, hoping tank will hold that much. (It has issues with only holding 5 gallons even when empty.) Start filling up. Hit the $12 mark before gas splashes back out on me. Write off that $3 and drive off to first gas station still looking for gas cap. See it on side of street against a curb! Pull into parking lot to pick up gas cap. Get it! Dance a little jig. Put it on. Get back in jeep. Have gas. Have cap. Engine purring. Feelin good!
Put jeep in reverse. Or try to. Bam, no clutch. Instant spaghetti pedal. Just paid $1200 for complete new clutch assembly less than 2000 miles ago. Thought it was one thing I didn't have to worry about. I was wrong.
Call AAA for tow. They tell me I only have a 5-mile tow even though I upgraded to and paid for the 300-mile tow 3 months ago. I spend an hour on the phone with them sitting in my dark, cold, broken jeep, explaining about the hour and a half I spent on the phone with them just 3 weeks ago when I needed a tow for the engine and they gave me the same 5-mile story which they finally recanted.
Eventually they recant again and I get my tow and go home. Instead of hitting the gym like I should, I hit a few beers. Knock beer over directly on cell phone.
Seriously. What gods have I angered? What energy have I disturbed?
Published by Lisa Hamilton
Born and raised on an Iowa pig farm, went to school at the University of Iowa then at the University of North Texas. Been working as a Technical Writer and Information Designer in one form or another for mor... View profile
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