Thursday, May 5, 2011

A chilly morning, a dead bird, and a dead car

This morning was chilly, so I went out to start the car and warm it up a bit inside.  Next to the tire was a dead bird.  It startled me, but I now wonder if it was an omen.  (just kidding about it being an omen, but I had to include the dead bird in my story somehow) When I turned the key in the ignition, it clicked and everything went off...the dash went blank, inside lights went off, some strange noise came from the engine and nothing happened.  Hmm...what could it be?  Battery?  Maybe...so I went inside and told my wonderful husband my car wouldn't start.  I sat my happy butt down and began to read the paper while he tried to figure out what to do - he definitely didn't need my "help".  It seemed like the battery might have died, although the car had not been acting strangely at all.  So he charged the battery, got the car started, and Benjamin and I took off down the road.  We got about 5 miles and were just about to turn on the entrance ramp to the interstate when the car died.  HOLY CRAP!  DEAD!  That was freaky!  I was half on the shoulder, waving cars around me trying to get the flashers to come on and calling Jim to come to my rescue once again. ;)  Just as I hung up the phone, a man pulled ahead of me, walked back to the car, and pushed the car onto the shoulder, which I was VERY grateful for.  People can really be wonderful to each other with the smallest gestures.  I was now of the road.  Wait, what's that behind me?  An unmarked police car with his lights flashing!  HURRAY!  I felt a little better about just sitting there.  He was calling for a marked car to come assist and I let him know Jim was on his way down as well.  This nice officer in plain clothes sat there until both the marked patrol car and Jim arrived.
Jim and this officer decided that we needed to push the car back off the curve and give us some room to pull Jim's car in front of mine to try to get the car started again.  Unfortunately, the car would not start.  And we don't think it's the battery...lights come on inside, the headlights come on, etc.  The car just won't start.  So, we locked it up, left it on the shoulder and Jim drove us to school and work today.  I'm waiting to hear from Jim on what is wrong with the car, hoping it's not something major. 

Turns out, this unmarked car belonged to the Captain of the Goodlettsville Police Department, not just an officer.  I'm sure glad he was taking the same route as me this morning! 

3 comments:

  1. Well, I'm glad you are O.K. and no one bumped you or anything else. Hope the car is O.K. but just remember, it can ALWAYS be worse.

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  2. Ther is at least one good samaritan in every crowd.

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  3. Yes, Benjamin and I were both glad that the car died as we were coming to a stop and not cruising at 70 on the interstate. GADS!
    Jim took the battery to AutoZone and found it was dead...of course, it is the original battery that came with the car in 2003, so this is no surprise. The surprise is that it has lasted this long! I'm glad we don't have to have major repairs or have to buy a new car. I love my little blue Passat!

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