Recently I was stuck on the side of the road. My convertable has been acting up, bucking like it had bad gas or something. I had it repaired but the bucking issues continued.
I thought the issue was bad gas so I ran it down the the E then filled it back up. The issue was gone until it wasn't.
I was driving toward a place downtown to have lunch alone. No one to meet. No scheduled appointment or anything.
I got off the interstate and the bucking started. As I pulled through the stop sign into the acceleration lane the bucking got bad and the car stopped running! The engine light and battery light both came on.
I put on my hazard blinkers and got out. The battery is in the trunk, so I popped the trunk and hooked up my jumpbox.
The jumpbox charged the battery some and the car started, ran for a minute, then stopped again.
After checking a couple of other things I requested a tow truck from my roadside assistance plan. The estimated wait time was 90 minutes.
I was near several homeless people, which made me a little nervous. They were in the trees and under the interstate. So I chose a spot up the hill out in the open and sat down to wait. My spot was oriented so that I could see anyone approaching from all directions except behind me. And I could hear everything when the mass transit trains weren't passing on the rails over my head.
I was safe. I had water. It was a beautiful day. I had no urgent needs. So instead of getting uptight the way I have in the past I relaxed into the moment and just waited.
Several people walked by individually. They looked like homeless people just moving about. Several of them asked if I was OK and if I needed help. Very nice. (I thought it was weird that almost all of them were wearing black shirts. On a hot summer day!)
Several people stopped, rolled down their window, and asked if I was OK. One guy looked like he was ex-military. He acted like he was checking on a buddy out in the field. I indicated I was fine.
Some people on scooters passed by with their earphones in. They didn't really look at me.
A couple of people rode by on those electric bicycles that go 30 mph. They were moving fast on the sidewalk and didn't even notice me.
One Indian or Pakistani guy pulling a suitcase behind him stopped and asked me if the car was mine. When I told him yes he asked if he could take some pictures of it. Then he took several selfies with the car behind him. Crazy poses!
One lady even leaned over the edge of the overpass to tell me about a church up the street that would give me a day pack, a hot meal, and put me up for the night.
As I sat there I was reminded of when Jesus in the Bible talked about learning the "unforced rhythms of grace" with him (Matthew 11 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2011&version=MSG):
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
The tow truck arrived and I rode with him to the shop.
It was nice to just relax and be alert and work through the moment freely and lightly.
What an adventure!
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