Worse 4 miles of my life

    • Gold Top Dog

    Worse 4 miles of my life

     Took the dogs to class like I always do on Tuesdays. Fynn and I are working better together now. Joker was great like always. Went and picked up some dog food and got Samantha some ice cream for being good in class.

    Start to head for home. 3 miles from the house I hear a POP and the Explorer starts swearving all over the road. Luckily for me no other cars were behind me or going the oposite directions. Got the car barely off the road. Would have liked to have gotten it a little more off to the side but couldnt get it to budge. Put it in neutral and it still wouldnt budge. Put it in reverse still wouldnt budge. I am not a car person. I dont even know how to change the oil,spark plugs, or a tire on a car.

    All the lights in the near by houses are all off. I do the only thing I can think of. Grabbed the dogs and Samantha locked the doors and start walking.

    Did I mention it is also raining?!!! Oh and Im walking on a road that every other vehicle is a Semi?

    We walk and walk and walk and walk. Cars pass left and right. I look down at the boys who are doing so well and not pulling me and think to myself that their the reason I am not getting a ride. I look over at Samantha who has not complained one bit or constantly asking me to pick her up and start cussing under my breath at every car that passes.

    Finally a van pulls over. If it had been just the boys with me I would have sucked it up and walked the next 3 miles home. But I had to take the chance and get Samantha out of the rain.

    A trucker person had radioed a budy of his(the van owner) and asked him where he was. He said he was in town and the trucker asked him to go looking for me. So he did. 

    Of all the people that passed me a guy in town drove 8 miles out of the way to come looking for me in the rain to give me a ride to wherever I was going. He agreed that if I hadnt had the dogs I would have been picked up sooner. 

    Well I wasnt about to leave them in the car. I didnt have no way to go get them until the morning if I had done that. So we all started walking home. I mean what's 4 miles? We do that all the time in the summer. Hehe 4 miles is alot when it's winter,dark,and pouring down rain.

    Thank you man in the van!! I'd still be walking home if it werent for him.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Girl do you not have a CELL phone???  Something for emergencies??

     Gosh I'm glad you're ok.  I even made my folks get a Trak-phone just to carry with them when they go to the doctor.  Even if you don't yak on it all the time, man, in an emergency they are priceless. 

    • Gold Top Dog

     Yeah um no cell here. But after this crap Im getting one. Actually we have paid cell but we never used it so it's in a drawer somewhere.

    Lesson learned. We're keeping the minutes on the cell.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Aw, poor Samantha! Seriously, invest in a cell phone (even prepaid) and AAA. Those 2 are priceless when you're in a pinch!

    • Gold Top Dog

    Oh my gosh. Thanks to the nice van-man! Wow, that has to bite.

    Ok, GET A CELL PHONE!!! Like, tomarrow - when you go to see what the heck wrong with the truck. Seriously - do we need to remind you about all the crazies out there!?

    Oh. Dear. Lord. I sould like my mother. Maybe my mothering instinct is in overdrive due to her being gone.....

    I'm glad that ya'll are Ok!!!!!!

    • Gold Top Dog

    yikes! how scary!

    they have those pre paid cell phones, where you load the minutes, and they stay there until you use them. no contracts or anything. might be good if you just need something *just in case*

    • Gold Top Dog

    I can't imagine not having my cell with me at all times and I don't have any kids with me ever.

    • Gold Top Dog
    I know in Florida, if you are low-income, you are eligible for a free cell phone and a certain number of minutes every month...lemme google and see if I can find it.

    ETA: Aha! The program is called 'Safelink Wireless'

    • Gold Top Dog

     I won't harp on the cell thing, I don't have one currently either...

    I'm so glad you're ok.  And I'm sending out all my good karma vibes to the guy in the van for tracking you down to make sure you, Samantha and the boys made it home safe and sound.  Its nice to hear something like that once in a while.  And a special note to the truck driver that radio'd him.  

    • Gold Top Dog
    There *are* good people in this world!!!! I had a similar thing happen to me once, 2 am, pouring rain, highway in the middle of nowhere, lost cell phone, out of gas (really long story).....walked several miles before a guy in a truck stopped..... I had no choice but to accept his help, but before I did, I warned him that I was a blackbelt (not really) and would give it back to him tenfold if he tried any funny business.... he took me to the next exit, filled up a gas can and took me back to my vehicle. It restores your faith!! Seriously.........
    • Gold Top Dog

     Well a friend's husband went to go get Joker's crate and dog food out of the Explorer but it wasnt there. He came back and got me to see if he just wasnt driving far enough but sure enough it wasnt there. He said it either got towed or someone stole it. Told him if it was stolen good luck to the person who stole it because I couldnt get the darn thing to budge. Called the police station and they had it towed because it was too close to the road. Sorry I tried to move it off the road but like I said it wouldnt budge an inch.

    So now I have to pay a towing fee and then another to get it home. Great there goes my paycheck I was gonna use to get Samantha's christmas. 

    Why does this stuff have to happen to us around holidays?!!!!! Couldnt happen at tax time could it?

    • Gold Top Dog

    Sunshinegirl

    There *are* good people in this world!!!!

     

    Yes I found one tonight. I mean he drove out of the way to find us. That was the only reason he was out that way.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Oh Kim I'm so glad it worked out ok for you.  Part of me would have been worried about getting in the van w/ a stranger w/ Samantha.  But I can't say too much, I've done it before.  We were on the Pennsyvania Turnpike taking me back to college.  There are very, very few exits on the turnpike.  The engine blew up in the car.  None of us had a cell phone.  A guy stopped, let us use his phone and gave us a ride to the service plaza (about 30-40 minutes driving from where we were).  It wasn't raining, but it was winter and very, very cold.

    And WTG to the trucker for being nice and calling that guy too.  It really does restore faith in people's goodness.

    • Gold Top Dog

    What a thing to happen.  Glad you all were "rescued" from the side of the road but sorry your car got towed!  As far as the cell phone and not having one...I've had one since they were the size of large bricks because of my job.  The times I have REALLY needed my cell phone either I had no signal because I was in the middle of nowhere or the people I needed to reach were not available.  I learned to carry things like spare gas, radiator hoses, water, duct tape, air compressor, battery cables and a decent tool box.  Even if I couldn't fix my vehicle some handy type might come along and give me a hand. :)

    • Gold Top Dog

    I swear sometimes i could slap you- I tried telling you with a  kid everyone needs a cell just incase something happens- you never know these days---- And i also told you to get explorer checked by my  uncle that noise was not the transmission and that something horrible could happen- thank god that someone wasnt coming down the road esp a semi- I am very glad you all are ok- but please start listening to people- i know your hard headed but you owe it to a lil girl!!!!!!