Friday, September 24, 2010

a hard evening

drive home was going well. no traffic. the baby sitter had called about heavy rain.
what rain? it was dry as can be.
then i passed xindian. and it started drizzling.
then got heavier. i had to slow down but i was still making good progress on my commute.
got off the highway. 
there was a line of cars driving up our hill.
what? there's never any traffic.
oh, flooding.
i drove through the water.
the engine stalled, and then died.
i called our mechanic. he told me to call a tow truck.
the baby sitter called just then. it was dark and stormy and my baby missed me - i could hear him bawling in the background.
i told her that i was close, so close, but the engine had died and i needed to call a tow truck.
i can't hear you over the heavy rain, she said.
i called one credit card company, then another. finally got the tow truck company. but the line was busy.
in desperation i tried to start the engine again.
it started - hurrah! but then it died. i still had hope though. i called our mechanic again for advice.
you probably flooded the engine, he said. just run it so it dries out a little bit and then try again.
after many tries, i was able to put the car in first gear and go up the hill.
i made it past the hairpin turn, and then made the final bend.
oh no! the engine died again.
i tried everything i did before. i called our mechanic again, several times.
i was so tired and frustrated. my baby needed me and i was so close and yet so far away!
finally i abandoned the car by the side of the road - i was only 100 meters away from home. 
(i'll deal with it tomorrow - our mechanic said it will probably run just fine after the engine has had some time to dry out.)
i walked up the final bit. the rain was falling lightly then.
but when i stepped out of the car it was ankle-deep. lots of flowing water.
finally got home and got to have my baby in my arms again.
"i missed you!" he said with his eyes as he hugged me.
"i missed you, too" i said as i held him close.
ugh.
what a night.
1 hour to go that final 1km.

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