“Don’t ever say it can’t
be done…an un-fought battle can’t be won!” (Abigayle)
July 9, 2000
Right now I’m sitting in a little café waiting for Lucky to be repaired. No, she didn’t break down… that would have been much too simple. She had to do something dramatic like bursting into flames as I drove down the Interstate. It was 4:00 in the morning (still 100+ degrees outside) and she was running so hot I literally had to keep my legs wet with my plant mister so the heat from the engine didn’t burn them. I don’t have any dashboard lights (?) so I had to hold a flashlight in one hand and the steering wheel in the other. Every minute or two, I put the flashlight between my legs and grabbed the plant mister. As soon as my legs were thoroughly “doused”, I exchanged the plant mister for the flashlight and started the whole routine all over again. I HAD to have the flashlight because I kept a constant eye on the temperature gauge. I’d never seen it so hot before, (didn’t even know it went that high), but since I was in the middle of nowhere and I knew that as soon as the morning sun came up, the temperature would skyrocket, I decided to try and make it to the next town. (And I almost made it, too.) I was only about 30 miles from the town of Tehachapi, where I was planning to stop for the day… but apparently, Lucky had other ideas.
Boom! The sound was so loud I though it was an m-80 firecracker. Suddenly, the cab was filling up with smoke so thick I couldn’t even see my own legs. I could hear the crackle of flames and since I have two propane tanks on board, the panic began rising in my throat. I immediately pulled over to the side of the road and took what seemed like a very long time to decide just what to take with me before I made my exit. As far as I knew, Lucky could explode at any moment… but I still decided to gather up 4 important items. First, I took my wallet (you never know when you might need identification) and then I grabbed the fire extinguisher, (which has been hanging on the wall since I first bought Lucky). My next choice caused me some real consternation… as my life is certainly worth much more than money, but I decided to take the little “nest egg” I had worked so hard to save; $3,000. I figured that if Lucky burned to ashes, that money would be my only means of getting somewhere. And so my decision was made and I burst into action. The problem was that what should have been an easy task was far from it, as I had hidden the money in a make up kit in the bottom drawer of a cabinet in the bathroom (at the back end of the RV). Even that wouldn’t have been too difficult, except for the fact that my bicycle was parked in the narrow aisle which meant I had to literally climb over it to get to the bathroom, (no easy feat in these close confines). As I made my way up and over my bicycle, I had thoughts such as; “I truly deserve to get blown up if my attempt to get this money causes my death”.
But… I made it. I got the money and then climbed back over the bike toward the front door in smoke so thick I was reduced to feeling my way around the bicycle. The fourth and last item on my list of things to be saved was my tape recorder. After all, I am a writer - and this would certainly make a very interesting chapter in my book.
I’ve never used a fire extinguisher before, but I pulled the ring and then pointed it at the flames, now easily visible through my front grill. Poof…and a little 6 inch cloud of powder came dripping down from the nozzle. Uh-oh… I had no idea how old that extinguisher was, but apparently, it was too old. If I hadn’t been so frightened, it would have been funny; like a scene from a cartoon. Drat! Now what would I do? Apparently, my Guardian Angel was still on duty because before I even finished that thought, there was a man standing right next to me, armed with a BIG commercial type fire extinguisher. Here it was - the middle of the night - and I hadn’t seen another car for over an hour. Where did HE come from? Could he be an angel? As it turns out, he was an angel; but in the form of an off-duty police officer on his way to Bakersfield, California who was, (Thank you Guardian Angel), in the right place at the right time. Help had not only arrived in the nick of time, but he came fully equipped with both a radio and a fire extinguisher
So, to make a very long story short… my rescuer called the fire department in Tehachapi and they came and finished putting out the fire. He then called a tow truck and they hauled poor Lucky to town. When we got there, I called my son Jeremy in Portland to see what he thought I should do. Jeremy insisted on speaking to the owner of the repair shop and told him to do only what was absolutely necessary to get me on the road again, and leave the rest of the repairs to my sons. That meant I needed working lights, brakes and an engine that ran… and nothing else. But guess what? (The silver lining to the cloud?) While making the repairs they discovered WHY my engine had been running so hot for the last 2 years. My fan didn’t work! Poor Lucky. I’ve been driving for thousands of miles, climbing mountains, towing a heavy car in 100+ degree weather… and the fan wasn’t even working. I’ll bet it had something to do with that time the bolt holding the alternator in place came loose and began hitting the fan. Gee, that was my very first day on the road (2 years ago), and she’s been overheating ever since. No wonder! According to the mechanics, it was a miracle she hadn’t caught fire before long before now. Boy, I really am “Lucky”, aren’t I? (No pun intended.)
So now my little nest egg will be smaller (and Lucky smells like a campfire), but at least I’m alive and I’ll be on the road again in a day or two. One thing I’ve learned in my lifetime is that every negative has a positive and this was certainly no exception. While I was spending the day waiting in the café down the street from the repair shop, I met a waitress who is going through a very difficult time in her life. Her children are grown (and have moved far away) and she and her husband just got a divorce. I’ve been sharing my story (and my poetry) with her and she seems to feel that I was sent as an answer to her prayers. She had been thinking that the best part of her life was over – but now that she’s seen how much I am enjoying mine, she knows she can do whatever she wants with the rest of hers. See, it’s all in how you look at it. It’s not the “end” – it’s just the “beginning”. If (by the Grace of God), I have been of some small service to this very nice lady… it will have been worth every dollar this little mishap is costing me. It’s truly amazing how almost nothing bothers me anymore. I can’t remember the last time I shed a tear in anger or sadness. Once you have your eyes on the “eternal picture” there’s just not much on this planet that can daunt you, and if I am lucky enough to be able to spread a little joy and hope in the process, so much the better! Life is good… and “challenges sweeten the ride”. (That’s a line from my poem “The Gift of Life”. I think I’ll put a copy of it at the bottom of this entry.)
When the basic repairs are finished, I’ll drive to my mother’s house in Sacramento (still more mountains…so cross your fingers) and then my sons will drive down from Portland, Oregon to check Lucky over and make any more repairs that might be needed to get me safely to Portland. My ex-business partner and friend, Alan, has offered me a place to park at his home in Lake Oswego. It’s perfect because I’ll be centrally located; right between my sons and my father. Scott and Jeremy will repair the wiring and the burn damage to the body of the RV and I’ll get my website up and operating. Boy oh boy… I had a feeling this leg of the journey wasn’t going to be easy! I’m afraid my stress-free life in Parker is looking mighty darn good right now! I hate to admit it, but after this little experience, the thought of starting Lucky up and driving over the mountains gives me the butterflies! Oh well…
Onward and upward! (See picture and copy of poem below)
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The Gift of Life
From the Collection, "Food for Thought" by Abigayle
Enjoy the "gift of life", my friend.
Don't linger - there's too much to see!
Adventure lies waiting for those who jump in...
So hurry - admission is free.
When you look 'round the corner that looms up ahead,
be EAGER to see what it hides.
Tomorrow the road might be slippery and wet...
but CHALLENGES sweeten the ride!
While waiting for the tow truck, the sun began to rise - so of course, I had to take this picture. See... it is a new beginning!