a new adventure: July 2008

This has seemed to be a recurring theme in my life...attitude. I'm often surprised when others notice my attitude. Thankfully, it's usually good, but it surprises me every time someone comments on it- like I imagine it's hidden away so no one can tell what I'm really thinking or feeling, when really, I'm pretty much an open book.

Let me start at the beginning.

Yesterday, I started work at 6:00 am as usual. It was going to be a pretty exciting day:
Our team was having our quarterly lunch out- at State Farm Park! The weather was perfect, the boss was grilling, and the day campers at the park were serenading us (or something like that!)... and after work, I was going to get to Roanoke quickly to see not only Annika, but Aunt Judie, who was home from Colorado and then I'd get to hear about the few months she spent in Africa.

The car dying? Not in my plan.

So here's the rest:
I hurry-scurried out to my car after work, unlocked the car, and... nothing. Ran back in, went to the security office, got someone to help me (who walked....really....slowly....if you've walked with me before, you know my normal speed is a LOT faster than normal people, and lightspeeds ahead of this shuffling old man), got back out to the car, jumped it, and was on my way, only a few minutes behind schedule, my car almost-but-not-quite back to normal. I called everyone to give status reports and my updated ETA.

I got a few blocks, slowed down at the stoplight and... nothing. Totally dead at the corner of Hamilton and Morrissey. This time after dying, my car was doing some scary things (like the gauges jumping up and down?). I turned on my hazards, which didn't turn on, so I decided to stand behind my car in traffic so people didn't slam into my car. You know how I love an adventure!

I called AAA, and gave them all my information, while mouthing "sorry" and waving all nice to the State Farmers leaving work. One driver was giving me a signal to turn on my hazards (unless she was doing jazz hands or spirit fingers; I couldn't tell for sure), so I had to explain to her in my interpretive dance style, "sorry, I tried, but they didn't work. I'm not stupid, really!" Or just avoid eye contact with all drivers so you don't have nonverbal confrontations...

But I digress.

My car was dead, and really, I found it a little funny. I was able to find it funny because it was a beautiful day, I didn't have the baby with me, and I was safe. (Though the "safe" part's debatable- the AAA agent asked me if I was in "a safe location"... my answer? "Welllll, if you're asking if I'm off the road; no, I'm standing in traffic so people don't slam into my car because my hazards don't work. If you're asking if I'm safe like I'm not getting run over, then yes.") And it was funny because it was almost exactly two years ago that I had another stranded by the road incident- though this time involved less cartwheels and craziness.

The tow truck came within a few minutes after I finished my call with AAA, and hooked me up to take me a few miles to get a new battery (they tested my battery before removing it and it was, in fact, very, very dead!). On the way, I chatted with Mike, the tow truck guy. I somehow managed to get most of his life story- I apparently have a knack for getting random strangers to spill their guts- always have.

Back to my point. I asked him if he got a lot of cranky customers, because, in all fairness, who really LIKES to have to see the tow truck guy? It's usually not under the best circumstances, right?

And he said no, most people are mean, but he could tell as he was pulling up that I wasn't one of those with a bad attitude.

Isn't that interesting? Someone's attitude isn't just something you deduce after talking to them for awhile; it is something that can be seen in my face from a block away. And I hope what Mike the tow truck guy really meant (and just didn't quite understand it) was that he saw Jesus in me from blocks away.

And the happy ending: Andy left work and got to the auto place right after I did, and we got the battery changed and got to Roanoke just a few hours late, driving together (which we wouldn't have if this hadn't happened), got to see pictures from Africa, Aunt Judie, Mom and Dad, and a cute little baby that was VERY happy to see Mommy and Daddy.

How blessed we are.