jump

We were at a gas station last night when my car unexpectedly died. No lights, nothing. The battery must have shorted or stalled or god knows what, but regardless, my car was dead. It was dark and there were a few cars around coming and going. We dug out some jumper cables (who's the rock star for even remembering to have them in my car) and cables in hand, started eyeballing the strangers around me for help. A few noticed and still got in their cars and drove off. One told me directly he didn't have time to stop and help and another pretended not to understand what I was asking him even though those cables were dangling from my hands at the time. One actually tried but his battery was unaccessible.

Luckily I called a nearby friend who was able to come and give us a jump. Ten minutes later she arrived and we got the car started and drove home. If she wouldn't have been able to come we would have called AAA, a service we pay for annually just in case we need it. It wasn't a big deal because we had options at our disposal. An inconvenience at most.

But as I sat there waiting it crossed my mind that without resources of my own, namely friends and money, then I quite possibly would have been out of solutions for the night. Barring the kindness of strangers we'd have been quite on our own. And what would that have meant for M, currently nestled in her car seat behind us on one of the first cold nights of the year?

Part Two coming next.