Stuck In The Middle Without You
Suited and booted at 7.20 a.m. I arrive at Naperville's newest boutique hotel, the Arista. I was there to attend the Silent Samaritan's breakfast, where the keynote speaker was Bonnie Wurzbacher, VP for Coca Cola no less.
I found somewhere to park in the dim early morning light, and went to pull the key out of the ignition. It was stuck fast. Luckily I had my phone.
"Wassa matter," answered a familiar voice from our bathroom back at home.
"I've got a problem with the car. I can't get the key out," I wailed.
"What do you expect me to do about it?" said Grumpy, obviously flustered. "I don't know anything about cars. You told me you didn't need to join AAA. I told you the other day the car needs servicing and you ignored me.What do you expect me to do? Come and get you? I'm going to work."
Actually I did expect him to come and get me, and push the car all the way back home single handed if necessary, but unfortunately I'm not married to Arnold Schwarzenegger. Yet.
"Go and ask for help in the hotel." He put the phone down.
"But how can I leave the car with the key in the ignition?" I wailed to no one in particular.
Then I reasoned if the car wouldn't move it wouldn't be much use to a thief anyway. Of course if I wasn't nearly hysterical, I would have also remembered I was in Naperville, when any would be thief would be more likely to valet my car than steal it.
I spotted a man getting out of a car nearby. I leapt out of the driver's seat.
"Cooeee, excuse me," I yelled, in a voice that he wouldn't hear if I was breathing down his ear.
"Excuse me, can you help me?" (When it comes to speech, what I lack in volume I make up for in quantity).
Fortunately he spotted me waving wildly and gallantly came to my rescue. Delighted, I allowed a complete stranger to get into my car. He jiggled the key. I was secretly worried it would start right away, but it didn't. Phew, proof I wasn't just being a feeble woman. If there's one place you don't want to be all girly and pathetic it's outside an event full of strong American businesswomen.
"The car isn't in park," he said, moving the gear stick. The car sprang into life. In the semi darkness I'd left it in reverse.
I found somewhere to park in the dim early morning light, and went to pull the key out of the ignition. It was stuck fast. Luckily I had my phone.
"Wassa matter," answered a familiar voice from our bathroom back at home.
"I've got a problem with the car. I can't get the key out," I wailed.
"What do you expect me to do about it?" said Grumpy, obviously flustered. "I don't know anything about cars. You told me you didn't need to join AAA. I told you the other day the car needs servicing and you ignored me.What do you expect me to do? Come and get you? I'm going to work."
Actually I did expect him to come and get me, and push the car all the way back home single handed if necessary, but unfortunately I'm not married to Arnold Schwarzenegger. Yet.
"Go and ask for help in the hotel." He put the phone down.
"But how can I leave the car with the key in the ignition?" I wailed to no one in particular.
Then I reasoned if the car wouldn't move it wouldn't be much use to a thief anyway. Of course if I wasn't nearly hysterical, I would have also remembered I was in Naperville, when any would be thief would be more likely to valet my car than steal it.
I spotted a man getting out of a car nearby. I leapt out of the driver's seat.
"Cooeee, excuse me," I yelled, in a voice that he wouldn't hear if I was breathing down his ear.
"Excuse me, can you help me?" (When it comes to speech, what I lack in volume I make up for in quantity).
Fortunately he spotted me waving wildly and gallantly came to my rescue. Delighted, I allowed a complete stranger to get into my car. He jiggled the key. I was secretly worried it would start right away, but it didn't. Phew, proof I wasn't just being a feeble woman. If there's one place you don't want to be all girly and pathetic it's outside an event full of strong American businesswomen.
"The car isn't in park," he said, moving the gear stick. The car sprang into life. In the semi darkness I'd left it in reverse.
posted by Hilary at
1:20 PM
7 Comments:
Always look on the bright side of life!
(3) You know a little more about cars now!
(2) That nice gentleman now has another "can you believe women drivers" story!
(1) Grumpy didn't arrive in his bathrobe to deal with the situation!!
Stephanie
By
Anonymous, at 2:56 PM
Fiction or non-fiction?
Brilliant writing.
Were you in the car with the stranger when he moved the gear stick?
Diane
By
Anonymous, at 4:20 PM
Fiction or non fiction? Of course it's true, every word. No, I didn't get in the car with the stranger.
By
Hilary, at 5:26 PM
Oh Hilary. You never disappoint. Needed a little lift on this horribly cold morning. Knew I could count on you!
By
Unknown, at 9:54 AM
Was he good looking ???
By
Anonymous, at 11:55 AM
Somehow, Someway this must be Grumpy's fault!
By
Anonymous, at 4:46 PM
SNAP! We have just got a new car,an automatic,and I did exactly the same thing last night!
Being the husband,I didn't have anybody else to ring, so I had to work it out for myself, which I did eventually, but there were a few moments when I was starting to panic!
Cheers - Clive.
By
Unknown, at 12:42 PM
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