So it was July 4th and since we don’t live near the family I like to do something different on the holidays so I don’t feel so homesick. The plan for this one was to make a quick trip to Paris via the movie theater. We met another couple at The Camel View theater and watched Midnight in Paris. We all enjoyed the movie and felt as if we had spent a couple of hours in Paris and in another era. I highly recommend the film.
As Norm and I were driving home our van died at the intersection of Thomas Road and Miller Road. By the grace of God we were right in front of a firehouse. I got out of the van and went to the firehouse. Someone pulled up beside Norm and asked if he needed help. It turns out it was this guy, Kevin, we knew from a long time ago and had not seen him for several years. He was able to push the van off of Thomas Road so Norm wasn’t in the middle of traffic at the intersection.
Kevin offered to take me home in his pickup truck, but transporting me and my motorized wheelchair is not a simple process. I thanked him for his help and his kind offer and said that I would probably find another way to get home that would be easier on me physically.
Norm joined me at the firehouse where we sat alone in their kitchen because the firemen had gone on a rescue. They were in the middle of making dinner when I showed up, they invited me in and then had to leave. I’m so glad that we were there because it was a really hot day and I needed someplace cool and safe to wait until other arrangements could be made to get us home.
Fortunately, Norm’s cell batteries were fully charged because we needed to make a lot of phone calls. I called a couple of taxi services before I found one that was wheelchair accessible, but they couldn’t promise a vehicle to pick me up for at least three hours. Then I remembered a friend’s name who lives in our neighborhood and is a wheelchair user like me. We didn’t have his phone number with us, but one of the firemen found him in the phone book. Thank God he was home and his brother came and picked us up in their wheelchair accessible van.
Norm and I made it safely home and we were so glad to be there. The firemen pushed our van off of the street and into their parking lot where it could stay safely until we could arrange for a tow truck for the next day. Because it was a holiday we were having a hard time finding a tow truck available.
Our friends who met us at the movies helped us to get the van towed for free via their AAA account. That was another grace of God.
It turned out that our van needed a new fuel pump. We were without the van for four days. It seemed a lot longer! We definitely don’t take our wheels for granted. I mean it’s not like I can just call a cab or ride with anybody unless their vehicle is wheelchair accessible. That, my friends, is one of the drawbacks of the wonderful life I live as a gimp girl. Other than that it’s great!