Stranded in the Middle of the Road…Opelika Road!

I generally like Thursdays. I usually feel pretty productive from the week’s work, and the weekend is within sight! Today was no different. It has been a good week, and I was ready for the day. Meetings planned for 9am, 11:15am, and 2pm. Proctoring an exam at 9:30; copies of test already made. I was READY for the day…even a little early!

Or so I thought….

I left the house at 8am with plenty of time to make my 9am meeting. I was about 2 miles from home (if you know the area: heading to campus on Opelika Road in front of the mall). I slam on the brakes at the stop light (not so unusual), but then something VERY unusual happens! All the lights on my dashboard light up and MY CAR SHUTS OFF!! Remember, I am in the middle of the road!!!!!!! I think, “Ok...focus Mallory!” I start my car – it turns off! Again, I start my car – it turns off! Again and again!

What is the next logical thing to do if your car is “broke down” on the side of the road? CRY!!
The light is soooo green now, and cars are honking and screeching to a halt around me. I have my emergency lights on. Now, what do I do? Stay in the car? Leave my car in the road? PANIC!

So, I call Adam who is at work. He promises to be there immediately. Then all of a sudden I hear a car slamming on his breaks; he swerves around me and looks at me like, “WHAT IN THE WORLD, WOMAN!” Then he sees I am crying, and he apologizes and asks what he can do. I say that I am ok. He leaves. I am soooooooo not ok. Still in the middle of the road.

A few minutes later another kind gentleman pulls up. Stops in the middle of the road. Smiling. Calm. He immediately says, “It’s ok! You are ok!” He gets in my car (leaving his in the middle of the road!), and drives my car into the parking lot of the mall. Who knew that if you put your car in neutral that it would move!?!? I didn’t think of that for the 10 minutes that I was in the middle of the road. Then, the kind man leaves (after I hug him 3x).

At this point, one of my professors saw me walking across Opelika Road, and she pulled in the parking lot to check on me and wait with me for Adam to arrive. (Thank you, Kristen!).

While we waited for Adam, EIGHT different people stopped to see if I was ok including the guy who almost hit me earlier! He had driven to the police station to tell them that I needed help.
Then, my “Knight in Shining Armor” arrived and saved me! Love you sweetheart : )

Moral of the story:

1. FILL UP YOUR GAS TANK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously, after all that I had just run out of gas. I have been driving for 10+ years, and at no point did it occur to me that I had run out of gas. GEEZ. No matter how much “book learning” you have, just remember that E = EMPTY!!

2. If you are going to break down, do it in the Auburn/Opelika area. PEOPLE ARE THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you to those sweet souls who stopped and offered your service. May the blessing you gave me be repaid 10 fold : )