Long Drive

"Mom," the voice mail began, "We found a house we are interested in buying and wondered if you were free to come look at it with us tomorrow?"
My son and his wife live in the next town over and have recently decided to stay in that area. I called him back and got the details of our getting together. I was feeling happy for them as they approach this next stage in married life.

A little while later I got an email suggesting we meet tonight instead as it was best for others joining us. Well, that would be tight for me as it is the first meeting of our after school Nature Club. The club would be over at 5:30, he wanted to meet at 6:00 and it would take around forty minutes to drive there. "Sure," I replied, "but I'll be later than 6:00." "Try it," he asked.

Fast forward to a few hours later. Nature Club went well and soon afterward I jumped into my car, drove onto the highway and shot off east to their town.

Then it hit me. Since I have been hoping to sell this car I have kept very little gas in it. Just enough to get me around town and now it was dangerously close to empty. Oh great! I really don't have time to get off and get gas. Wonder just how much I have and how far this car goes when the low gas light comes on?

I was in a bit of a risky situation, but I did want to get there on time for my son. By now, I was out of town and driving through pasture and farmland. No gas stations anyway. I said a prayer and wondered how I get myself into these situations.

Three miles outside their town, the little red gas can symbol came on. Well, it will be close, but I think this car will make it. Not being sure of the directions once in town made the situation even more haphazard. After a wrong turn and quick call for more directions I saw my daughter-in-law waving from the porch. I parked the car, grateful to be there.

But later, when she and I tried to take off and head to their old home, well, you know it. The car wouldn't start. Fortunately, or unfortunately, I've been in this situation before and know all about borrowing a gas can from a station.

"Hold on," I told her. "We'll just coast down hill until the car is level and try again." The good news is yes, the car did start. The bad news is in coasting, I somehow didn't have brakes.

After a few precarious moments, we were on to the next worry...just where is a gas station near here? Soon the red lights of a Break Time shone through. We giggled with relief as we pulled in. Whew, made it.