Need a Jump Start

Ah, darn.

So the wife’s outta town till Friday, and I think – thanks to her wonderful prepwork and detailed notes – I think I have everything down until then. Schedule-wise, kid-wise. Drop-offs and pick-ups, soccer practice and girl scouts, honey-do lists. And everything is going great until this evening at 7 pm.

My car won’t start.

I had dropped my oldest off at the field for soccer practice and went to get Patch from daycare. I swear I was out of my car for 10 minutes. I get back with Patch in tow, load her in, hop in and turn the ignition … and nothing but that dreaded clicking.

I have the lady at the day care let me use her computer and I google a nearby tow service. $60, the dude tells me over the phone. What choice do I have? Plus, it’ll be dark soon, and I have to pick up Little One at the field, and I don’t have any of the coaches’ cell numbers programmed into my phone.

Well, to make a long story short (and really to put an end to this exasperating evening), I got the jump start, paid the bill, picked up my oldest daughter in the dark (there were still other children and adults there), got home, got them showered and fed, read stories and put them in bed. Now: Me time.

One unexpected turn of events: I called my insurance company, and, hey! I have roadside assistance. Just fax that ol’ jump start bill in and I can be reimbursed the full amount. Yay!

Now, if only the car starts up tomorrow. I did let it run for 45 minutes to charge the battery, but come the morning – who knows? Need to keep that roadside assistance number handy.

So now I’m off to read some Civil War (Fredericksburg) and JFK (45 minutes before the assassination).

And hopefully a good night’s sleep.