Monday, October 3, 2011

Can't Hold Me























If your car breaks down in the middle of the night, let's hope it is not a neighborhood with bars on the windows. (Yes, every house, store, drive-thru, etc had bars on the windows) Like me at midnight on a Sunday.

My van was diagnosed with terminal death a month ago. We have been shopping around for me a new catering van and a family car. I know two cars, but hubby's car is getting old too. He wants to keep it, so we barely drive it. It's like vintage car to him. At one time we had four cars, but my son took one to college; it was totaled by some kid late at night, then my son came for a visit and drove the other car back home (many states away). That was my favorite, daddy left it to me, but he needs to finish school before he commits to car payments.

So we found what we want, but are waiting till the last minute. 2012's will hit the lots soon, and they will want to give away the 11's. However as I said we took mine on the road thinking we had some months left to drive it before ditching, for the new van. Nope, it decided I pushed my van too far and maybe it wanted to go in the Meadowlands and go out like Hoffa. Did I say how smelly that place was?

If I sat there long enough, which was already three hours till the tow truck showed and took us to our hotel. After the first one broke down, yeah a tow truck even breaks down. I think we might have started to decompose from the smell seeping in.

What was I doing there you ask? I was asked to perform my work in another direction. Which was a success. I read some pieces from the new book, new poetry, and old classics. Good age group for this genre. I was asked to get up again and went into a funny persona I do from time to time. "Ladies raise your machette's, wine glasses, and cocktails...to the fact men...yada yada yada". Got lot's of laughs. Hubby even came. A rarity he goes to many of my performances. He had his Ipad, but actually said he loved the performance. He hears me practice at home, but not in actual crowd observation.

Well we got the van towed, found out it was 'the' problem we knew about, and then I had to tow it back to Princeton yesterday evening. I was exhausted from no sleep and sitting all day. Money, it flies in, and it flies out. I still managed to go to my clients tonight and work. Now I am up late, and have to get up early. Why would anyone want to get into my profession at this age? I ask myself. Its for the young. On your feet all day. Oh sorry, I drifted off for a few seconds.

Parts of New Jersey are really cool, but there are the parts that are not so nice...if they find Hoffa someday and he was covered with cement in NJ, I have a feeling he made out like a zombie and headed to fresher ground...so he could clear his nostrils...smelly Meadowlands, and no mask...

I figure if I continue with positive reinforcements, things will stay positive...

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Elizabeth, this is funny - though I know it wasn't for you at the time! I didn't realize you were in in Princeton - I am in Bucks County PA, and will often cross the river over to Princeton! Very cool. (love the Hoffa references! And the towtruck breaking down! (OMG)) So we are neighbors.

Anyways, all the best to you in your adventures with food and vehicles and your readings! Enjoyed this very much.

Toon said...

When I saw the photo, I was expecting something Halloween -related. It's very eerie.

Pearl said...

time trickles by waiting for a tow truck. how many tow trucks does a tow truck truck if a tow truck could tow trucks?

Chef E said...

I found out from a local from that area they built the Meadowlands on swamp, and it still retains the smell...

Funny Pearl! funny...

It was eerie Toon!

Thanks Camel...

Pearl said...

it shakes you up like an earthquake to have a car not go.

we were stuck on the side of a highway 3 years ago in -30 or something similarly obscenely cold. think it was only an hour or so but time goes slo-mo while waiting for a tow in way below zero.