Road Skills

I’ve never run out of gas. Ever. I bet you didn’t know this about me. My life is at least half over, I’ve been a driver for over half of what’s past, and I’ve yet to allow this to happen. It’s things like this that remind me how awesome I am compared to everyone else.

I wondered if that is what happened to this guy I saw working under the hood of his car, as traffic built up behind him, at the intersection of 52 and Main in Albemarle. Here this poor bastard was stuck in traffic, and none of these assholes were stopping to help him!…Do you believe in karma?  I don’t. Well, it’s not that I don’t. I just don’t think about it. I don’t preface acts that I commit with thoughts of their repercussions, let alone think of doing things today that may reward me in the future. I’m too caught up in the moment for that…So I pull into Quick Check’s parking lot so I can help this guy push his car out of the way. As I’m running through the brief opening in traffic, a state trooper pulls in front of the guy’s car. I then notice the guy appears to be Latino. I think “oh no, he might not have an ID. Did I just profile him?  Shit, I’m a racist. Great, there’s something else to work on!Wait he’s young. He probably has a license. Hopefully it doesn’t come up”🤞🏻
The trooper asks me if I’m coming to help push. I say that I am, and he puts on his lights and blocks traffic for us to get this car out of the way.

A few days later, I’m stopped at the intersection at 52 and 24-27. I notice I’m on empty. I motion for the guy beside me to let me go in front of him. He agrees and my car shuts off before I can move.

I had run out of gas!

😔Guess I’m not so great after all.

What was I going to do now?  Traffic wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t optimal for Flintstone gear. Then I hear a familiar voice asking me if I needed help pushing my car. Guess who it was. The kid I helped days before?  No, but how cool would that have been?! It was Desi!  What, you don’t know him?  Anyway…we start to push, a police officer stops to block traffic, I get gas and all is well. What a coincidence! Or was it?  Spooky music begins.