Today was the day to celebrate International Women's Day. I jumped out of bed, got the sweeping and mopping done, sorted lunch and dinner for the kids, and then got ready to hang out with Bestie_K and some girlfriends to celebrate.
My little car trudged along, but the AC wasn't working and the car was blowing hot air. I wound down the window a little bit and was already sweating it out in the car when the engine just died on me.
Three cars away from the traffic lights, uphill, on a very busy area in town, at lunchtime, no less. The light was still red, I stayed calm and tried to start the car, but nothing happened. The lights turned green, and even though I had my hazard lights on, irritated drivers honked and gave me dirty looks as they drove around me. Coz, like I really wanted to hang out in my car in the middle of the road, sweating profusely.
So yes, I panicked a little bit. First I called The Hubs
"What should I do?", I asked. Call for the tow truck he told me. Then I called Bestie_K as she was waiting for me to go to the bank to sort out some stuff before the celebration. "I'm not going to make it, the car just died on me," I lamented. Then I called the Insurance rep to send the tow truck. And all this while honks kept honking and I got dirtier looks as the drivers saw me talking on the phone.
Then I thought, since I was on a slope, maybe I can let the gravity help reverse the car and I'll get as close to the side as possible, so people wouldn't be as upset. I shifted the gear to Neutral but the steering wheel locked and wouldn't budge. Just for the heck of it, I tried starting the car again, and boom, the engine came to life!! But the radiator was at maximum. So I just waited until the lights turned green, drove up 30 metres to a spot in the shade that did not obstruct traffic and waited for the tow truck.
As soon as I got out of the car, I was thankful for three things. One, that the engine started and I could get away from the honks and stares. I was actually talking aloud to the car, thanking it!
This big beautiful tree, which gave the car and me plenty of shade, as we waited for the tow truck. It would take 45 minutes, they had told me and it took a little longer.
And Bestie_K, who dropped everything, cancelled her appointments, jumped into her car and drove out to me so she can keep me company while waiting for the tow truck. She even sacrificed washing her hair for the get together later that night. She is one woman to celebrate all right!!
Once the tow truck had taken the car to the mechanic, we proceeded to prepare for the ladies get together. And the incident just became one more story over lots of food and laughter.
As I am writing this, I realise, today for the first time, I consciously practised looking for things to be grateful for through what could have been a very stressful situation and I found them. Enough to put a smile on my face. So it's all well and good.
Happy International Women's Day Ladies!!
all images are mine, and the first is a shot of a poster I saw in a mall to promote today
