My flight was delayed from ORD 2 BWI (good thing I got to hang at the airport with Christian and Sophia got upgraded 2 first life is good).
Nice flight, short haul (remember anything less than 33 hours is a short haul in my world) nice stewardess named Tonya made me smile.
Late arrival in BWI like 2345 got on long term parking bus to pick up rental car #3 LOL.....Guy in uniform got on wrong bus....He was coming home from Afghanistan....He walked me to my car and I gave him a ride to Long Term Area B (I'd forget after all that time too) and drove around searching for his car :D found it safe and sound, dropped him off and headed for Carolyn's.
So exhausted...Excited to hit my bed in my home away from home away from home away from home...
Took a wrong turn ended up in Upper Marlboro (cute little town been coming here for years never been into the actual town center till 130 am last night) felt my car sputter and engine died....I coasted into the United Methodist Church Parking Lot in between handicapped and middle of parking lot. ( NOT middle of the road ITS ALL GOOD :)D
See lights on in church...late night cleaning man walks out: I ask do you know where the nearest gas station (with my weary brain!) He says yep, just walk down a ways that a way and about .5 miles you will find a gas station.
I decide at this point....PUT A FORK IN ME!!! I'M DONE! Put my seat back curl into a ball and go to sleep....but the entire time I am afraid Im going to sleep 2 late (Sunday School starts at 0830) Last thing I want to do is block the church goes from getting to Sunday School...Can you say I'd really be going to hell for sure LOL)!
Get up to watch the sunrise...roll out of the drivers seat out of the car...beautiful Sunday morning birds tweeting (not with mobile devices )and flowers and begin my journey to get gas.
I really am laughing at myself the entire walk. I'm actually amazed that in my entire life I have never run out of gas before...Feeling fortunate: At least it wasn't in the middle of one of my mad dash 13 hour road trips in college to ski in Utah getting stuck in the middle of Bumfreaking Nevada somewhere...or teaching snow treking survival skills through 125 inches of snow to my college roommates (hiking into into Wasatch National Forest a few miles to Heidi's remote family cabin after skiing the entire day at Alta and then dancing into the weee hours of the night in a SLC club...(that wasn't petrol but required so much stamina and teaching them to spread their weight I thought perhaps it was note worthy in the column of stupid stuff I've done and still managed to survive for all these years) I digress...
Tired but happy to still be alive to see the birds, feel the damp morning dew on my toes in the grass, breathing fresh air and feeling the rising sun on my face....
I make it to the gas station, stumble in and look around....Iced coffee would be nice...locate a little 2 gal red plastic gas can...the WALK of shame (my camp fire girl clan, fellow veterans and various outdoor endurance freaks like me were looking at me in disgust: How could I possibly run out of gas! Poor Prior Planning) Get a Grapefruit Perrier, iced coffee, red plastic portable (just put a sign on me : #FAIL) container of shame...The gas station guy asks what happened...as my face turns bright red I tell him what happened. No big deal it was a nice walk and thanks for being open...I'll be on my way...Have a wonderful day :D
I turn around to walk out of the store with the horrid little can to fill outside....and I notice that the entire store is now filled with people who are on their way to work....Um and should I mention they are all in uniforms I feel exceptionally ashamed) They are SOF Officers from the Prince George's correctional facility. (DDEEEELIGHTFUL so now I realize I had been sleeping near the correctional institution in my car and I feel even more great ful I am still here and not 6 ft under) I feel like 1 inch tall. I manage a smile anyway (ABSOLUTELY no eye contact but a smile)
I go to the pump to fill my can of shame and as I am filling a nice man (handsome, rugged guy in correctional uniform) says I heard what happened where are you parked? I tell him not far up the road @ Church. He says Hop in....The universe conspires to help you if you allow it. Cost benefit analysis says: Dude in uniform from jail better than walking in sketchy neighborhood! He drives me to the car drops me off, fills my tank and says his name is Steve. Thanks Steve! (definately not cause I looked cute: Note traveling, non showered, sweaty yucky girl with no gas...NOT attractive!!!)
So I blackberry Carolyn and get there around oh 7ish...I sit on the bench outside the front door and wait for SUPER CODY and NALA to notice my presence...Both are professionally trained protection German Shepherds... Glad they love and adore me would hate to bee a BAD Guy!
After 45 minutes I hear Super Cody start barking...not a mean doggie bad ass bark just a HEY MOM, HEY MOM Susie is here bark. Nobody is up I wait until I hear Alvin turn on the TV then ring the bell....
Sooooooo excited to see them...I am totally out of batteries in my head. Been brain dead all day and liking it....very rare for me to be a completely empty energizer bunny...but it was today. So glad to see Carolyn, Al and Mom...Warm hugs of love are spoken here.
Thank you universe! For keeping me safe another day....Random Acts of Silliness, Kindness and stupidity are what make this journey so fun every day!
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