I Am Now "Glass Half Full"--I Have Changed!
A silver Lexus disabled in construction zone on shoulder near Barrington
Road....tow needed for a flat tire--shoulder is too short for safe tire
change...Cadillac stalled in center lane...Toyota... Jeep....It was a
busy Thursday rush hour on i90. You might ask why I know this.
Well....one learns a lot listening to dispatcher chatter from the high passenger seat in a tow truck.
Now, before anyone starts in on my little car, let me just say this: it likely all started because of a squealy belt that I ignored. Just sayin'.
So, now, I am enjoying the waiting game. The idea was to make a quick trip to Chicago for dinner with a visiting friend from California. That did happen, but a little later than planned. And now, I wait, wait, wait for word from the auto shop about the extent of the damage due to the fact that I had to continue driving when the smoke and stink poured out from under the hood. I was in the middle of a construction zone, just a mile from the O'Hare turn-off, trying to make to a place where I could safely exit or pull over. Instead, the car gave its last gasp as I was about to cross a merge lane to the shoulder. So, I was basically straddling the little triangle between the right lane of east bound travelers and the mergers. Yikes. No getting out of the car to raise the hood. No doing anything but calling the troops and sitting tight. Thanks for cell phones!
Waiting is not something most of us do very well--the white-knuckle waiting in the midst of a crisis when there is not one darn thing to do except pray. Then, the seemingly endless waiting while someone else has your fate in their hands, and the process simply can't be hurried. My little car tale is trivial compared to other kinds of waiting--waiting for that grandchild to be born so travel plans may be made, waiting for results of critical tests that will determine what can be done--or if there is a solution. The long and tedious waiting and working through a process of healing. Mine is just about inconvenience--and money. I'm not totally flush, but for so many, something like this would be financially devastating.
Here's what I learned--or was reminded of yesterday (and am continuing to learn while waiting for my phone to ring):
Good things that happened--or didn't--
Once the phone rings, the waiting will end and I'll swing into action. Will it be: 1) picking up a repaired car? 2) finding a rental? or 3) gasp--time for a new car?
Well....one learns a lot listening to dispatcher chatter from the high passenger seat in a tow truck.
Now, before anyone starts in on my little car, let me just say this: it likely all started because of a squealy belt that I ignored. Just sayin'.
So, now, I am enjoying the waiting game. The idea was to make a quick trip to Chicago for dinner with a visiting friend from California. That did happen, but a little later than planned. And now, I wait, wait, wait for word from the auto shop about the extent of the damage due to the fact that I had to continue driving when the smoke and stink poured out from under the hood. I was in the middle of a construction zone, just a mile from the O'Hare turn-off, trying to make to a place where I could safely exit or pull over. Instead, the car gave its last gasp as I was about to cross a merge lane to the shoulder. So, I was basically straddling the little triangle between the right lane of east bound travelers and the mergers. Yikes. No getting out of the car to raise the hood. No doing anything but calling the troops and sitting tight. Thanks for cell phones!
Waiting is not something most of us do very well--the white-knuckle waiting in the midst of a crisis when there is not one darn thing to do except pray. Then, the seemingly endless waiting while someone else has your fate in their hands, and the process simply can't be hurried. My little car tale is trivial compared to other kinds of waiting--waiting for that grandchild to be born so travel plans may be made, waiting for results of critical tests that will determine what can be done--or if there is a solution. The long and tedious waiting and working through a process of healing. Mine is just about inconvenience--and money. I'm not totally flush, but for so many, something like this would be financially devastating.
Here's what I learned--or was reminded of yesterday (and am continuing to learn while waiting for my phone to ring):
Good things that happened--or didn't--
- this did not happen at night in the dark or in a storm (just a normal rush hour)
- there are good samaritans out there--the woman who pulled over and WALKED to me to push me into a safer; a trucker who placed his vehicle behind me to deflect traffic--and helped push
- we now have cell phones and emergency tollway trucks (and the phone was charged!)
- no one ran into me or my good samaritans (!!!)
- this happened less than 15 miles from my condo, so I could be towed to my trusted auto shop
- the shop, which closes at 6, was still open at 7
- my friends picked me up, and we still had a nice evening
- it was on the eve of my day off, so I have some flexible time before I need to return to Galena.
Once the phone rings, the waiting will end and I'll swing into action. Will it be: 1) picking up a repaired car? 2) finding a rental? or 3) gasp--time for a new car?
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