Old Habits

My car has been stuttering when started. It seems to need a few moments to gather itself together before starting its day. A day or two ago it performed this dramatic event in the presence of The Boy (TB). He gave me a look that told me to pay attention, this isn't in your imagination and it isn't going to just go away.

Yesterday my car was more serious in its demands for attention. I left home with plans of making a couple stops before heading to TB's (where I could do laundry and mow his lawn while he paced the courtroom floor) and found that after the first errand my car needed such serious deliberations to start that I had better take it to either the auto store or TB's. I didn't know where exactly the auto store was so I headed to TB's.

Later, after court, I asked if TB would follow me to the auto store, in case I got it there but needed a jump to get any further. He went one step further and told me to stay and watch the Red Sox game, he'd take my car and get the battery checked and be back in a minute. As appealing as that idea was (and ooooh how appealing) I turned him down and said no, let's take two cars and do this together.

After the remarkably disinterested auto store man confirmed it was neither the battery nor the alternator and proclaimed I must have issues with the starter (replaced just a couple years ago), TB asked what I thought I wanted to do next.

Out of habit I said, "call my brother in law", my Knight In Shining Armor who has always saved the day in such moments. And so I did, and Bear gave directions to TB to a local mechanic he was comfortable with.

And so TB discussed the plan with me. The car would no longer start, even if cajoled. We decided eating was a priority (going on 8:30). And so he took me to dinner (after insisting I not argue about money spent or who was paying) and then drove me to the mechanic to drop off a key and a note and then went one step further to lend me one of his cars to give me transportation home and for the next day or two until my car is fixed.

I am not used to having someone to help other than Bear and Jules. I am not accustomed to having someone right there with answers, ideas, solutions and assistance. I am not used to having my own prince show up to save the day.

Old habits die hard, but I suspect Bear and Jules both are thrilled to have someone else handling my crises and coming to my aid. I know I am.

Comments

Jennifer said…
Oh how I love a good "Knight in Shining Armor" story :) *sigh
Anonymous said…
We are always here to help. . . Jules
Katrina said…
It feels good to be taken care of sometimes. :)
Sarah Louise said…
My parents were here (mom first, then dad) earlier this week and I had some "being taken care of" that in some ways was nice, in some ways I had to swallow my pride.

I'm not used to it, either. How quickly (or not) we get out of the relief that we're not the only ones to take care of it all.

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