One time my
Aunt Marie and Uncle Bill in
Pomona offered to watch our kids
while Yvette and I went to Big Bear. So, we started out early. Her sister had been visiting from Chicago and we dropped her off
at LAX - Los Angeles International Airport. Then we headed out the
10 Freeway to my Aunts.
The Wiper
It started to rain and the
windshield wipers broke. So we got off the freeway. I took off one of my
shoe laces and tied it to the wiper blade so that we could work them manually.
We drove along surface streets as far as we could, pulling the string.
We had to get back on the Freeway still pulling the string. When we
got to my Aunts - I asked for a mechanic and she recommended one. I went
there and they needed a new motor to fix it. They sent me to the dealer.
The shoe lace wasn't working that well, so at stop lights I got out and pulled the
wiper with my hand. I got the wipers fixed and went back to my
Aunt's. It was maybe 4 PM and I asked if we could just stay over as it was
raining and it would be dark soon. It's harder to find places in the dark
in Big Bear as they don't have all the street lighting we are used to in the
City. She said GO, you'll be fine. So we went, but there was MAJOR
traffic near
March Air Force Base. We got to the foothills after
dark and there were signs requiring chains. We pulled over and I put the
chains on. This was the first time I had ever done that.
Someone came along and offered their help and they said that the
latch should be
secured just so. It didn't quite seem right to me, but this was my first
time. We drove on and the
Highway Patrol
was inspecting all cars to verify that we had chains on and let us through.
It was VERY foggy. It reminded me of stories that my Father told of when
he was in Korea, that it was SOOO foggy they had to have a
man walk 5 feet in front of the jeep to find the way. I didn't think Yvette
would go for that. So, we just drove real slow. We were then
starting to run out of gas. We stopped at a Highway Patrol Station, but it
was closed. An officer came by and told us that there was a public one -
about two miles DOWN the road. I was glad for that, as it meant we could
coast, if need be. We got our gas and went on. We got to the
Motel
around 9 PM. We asked where to eat and they suggested a place across the
street. We walked there, but the kitchen had just closed. We could
stay for drinks though. They suggested that we try Maggie's about two
miles down the road.
So, we drove there. Maggie's was a real nice
restaurant. The coffee though was lukewarm. Yvette
asked if I wanted to send it back. I said no, this was coffee that
"the higher up you get - the better it tastes." The steaks were
EXCELLENT, we've gone back several times.
Where's the Chain?
Yvette paid the check and I went outside to get the car.
Someone STOLE the chains!!!! But then, only ONE of them. I
just couldn't figure that out. Then I looked and saw the chain
was wrapped around the axle. While I was trying to figure out
how to fix it, should I -
1. Use the Jack
2. Crawl underneath and unwrap it
3. ?
The neighbor next door was yelling at me that I didn't
have permission to park there and that he was going to call and have my car
towed away. While that was a
whole OTHER Story in my past.
I said fine. I figured we could walk or take a cab back to the Motel
and worry about the car in the morning. I remembered that my
Cousin Peter had put me on his email joke list and one of them said that in
rural area's - if you're ever stuck - someone with a 4 x 4 and a tow rope
would be there and rescue you. That's what they live for. Do NOT
try to stop them. Sure
enough, within 10 minutes they were there. They pulled us to the main
road, assured us that it was OK to drive with one chain on and one
chain wrapped around the axle. We parked the car at the Motel and went
to
bed.
The next morning, we went to get breakfast and fix the
chain. I couldn't get the car out! It started OK, but wouldn't
move. Yvette said, Oh Yeah, you're supposed to drive back and forth
first to compress the snow when you park. I said -You're from Chicago,
why didn't you tell me that. She said she had been trying her best to
forget all that. So, anyways I got out and pushed and she drove. We found a
gas station right next to a restaurant. They fixed the chain. I
looked at it and said - HEY, this latch is the WRONG way, like the guy had
helped us with at the Chain Stop. I decided that since I had Auto
Shop experience and I was the one responsible... To put it the way I
thought it should go.
That night we went to the movies and saw
Planes, Trains and Automobiles with hank Martin and John Candy.
It was a theater where they only have ONE show and it replays. We got
there 20 minutes late and when the movie was over, Yvette asked if I wanted to
say and watch the beginning. I said no, we really didn't need to
see the movie - WE LIVED IT!
