Monday, December 22, 2008

Wish I had a tape...

of my adventure tonight. It would definitely be worth a laugh...or two. So there I was (I mean, that's how all great narrated stories start, right? A good hook like that?), I was driving amidst the ice/snow/slush in Tacoma for the first time since I made it back to Washington last night. I was taking major roads, and they seemed to have just enough snow on top to allow for some traction before the layer of ice. Things were actually very pleasant (as pleasant as they CAN be when you're driving 20 mph) until I saw a person sitting on the ground with a crutch in their hand. It didn't look good. They certainly didn't appear to be down intentionally. So I decided I should help. I pulled off onto a side street nearby. MISTAKE NUMBER ONE. I was able to park without a problem, but by the time I made it to her another walker had helped her up. I was no longer needed, and my rescue efforts were somewhat in vain.

So I trudged back to my car to make my retreat. P.S. Let me say that it would my dad proud to know that I was wearing the Vasque boots he got me years ago. Nevermind that I was rocking them with a feminine white peacoat. The outfit was working from about the knees up. ;) Back to the retreat - I decide I should try to turn around rather than follow that smaller street back to a main road. MISTAKE NUMBER TWO. I wasn't exactly sure when that would be. So I start across the street, then back up where I had been formerly parked. However, when I try "DRIVE" again, my tires don't make nice with the packed snow. I go nowhere. Dilemma. I don't want to call anyone. No one else is around. What to do, what to do. I get out to check out the situation near by backtires. I don't see any pieces of wood nearby to throw under one of them. I figure I'm going to have to push. So I put the car in neutral, and brace myself against the curve to push. No luck. Then I get really brave, and throw it in drive before heading back to push again. Well, the incredible hulk in me came out to the point where the car rolled across the road against the snow pile/curb on the other side.

My next logical step was to change the gear to reverse while standing outside the car. MISTAKE NUMBER THREE. The car rolled back into the street, and with matrix moves, I somehow jumped into the driver's seat as it was moving. Thankfully, the brake worked, and I comandeered the vehicle back onto the main road.

Geesh, what an adventure. And if only someone could have taped it...