"Running out of gas and out of time..."

Something More
by Sugarland

Monday, hard to wake up
Fill my [water] cup,
I'm out the door
Yeah, the freeway's standing still today
It's gonna make me late, and that's for sure
I'm running out of gas and out of time...

I had one of those days today...and not only was I running out of gas, I RAN out of gas. Yeah...on the freeway nonetheless. I know, I know, I should've just filled up when my gage said it was empty, but I was in a hurry here and there and never did. So here's my story:

Mandy (Spencer's mom) called this morning to tell us that we were scheduled for parent teacher conferences at 4:15 that day. (Thanks for the notice!) Seeing as how Mike was out of town I tried to bust my butt to get there. I think it's important that we go to things like this to show our support for Spencer, etc. Also, at 5:00 my sisters, my mom, and Sierra (my pretty much cousin) and my 2nd mom Michelle (She's my mom's best friend and I was sortof named after her) were scheduled to meet at Western Nut and drive to The Gateway together to go see TWILIGHT!! I got out of preschool late because today was our Thanksgiving party and I had to clean up. I was on the freeway and was getting onto I-215 from I-15 when it happened...

I ran out of gas. I was sortof coasting and decided to take the freeway eastbound instead of westbound because it was more of a downward slope so I could coast better. I was able to go into neutral and coast and then flip it to drive and it'd give me a tiny bit of umph, then I'd go back to neutral and flip to drive again. I ended up completely running out of gas at the beginning of the off ramp.

I had to walk all the way up the off ramp. Then the sign at the top said gas to the left. So I went left...and walked and walked and walked...and walked... I walked State Street for half an hour. Does that make me a hooker? Lol. After at least half an hour of walking I finally made it to a 7-11. I had spoken on the phone with Mike, who was (by the way) out of town (ooh and PS, he was also out of town when I got locked out of the house, when I got in a car accident, etc). ANYWAY, Mike and told me not to buy a gas can but to just ask to borrow their gas can and then bring it back cause supposedly gas stations do this. So I asked if they had one and the gas attendant said they do not have one to borrow because someone never brought it back. Ugh! There was a Phillips 66 just down the road (it looked close, but I am SO not used to judging distance when WALKING!) Anyway it was about a 10 min. walk. I got there and asked the attendant if they had one to borrow. He then proceeded to tell me they didn't even have any FOR SALE! What gas station doesn't have a GAS CANS for sale??! By this point I am about in tears.

I was pretty thirsty and all so I decided to buy a Diet Pepsi. When I brought it to the register I was just welling up and the guy was ringing it up and finally just looked at me and was like, "It's on me. It's on me." (How pathetic am I? That the gas station attendant had to buy me a drink??!) It was nice of him though. He had told me to go up the street and then up another street to get to another gas station. It seemed REALLY far so I decided to go back to 7-11 and see if they had cans for sale. Finally I got back there (by this time it's like 4:45). I was PRAYING that they would have them cause if not, I thought I might just curl up on the road and die. Lol.

I finally got there and (hallelujah) they had gas cans for sale. So the guy showed me how to use it and how to put it together (cause let's face it, I had not the slightest notion). I filled it up and then contemplated walking back to the car. If I walked there was NO WAY I'd make it to the movie. So there was this Mexican guy (late 20's early 30's) in a jumpsuit filling up this truck. He looked nice. :) So I walked up to him and said, "Sir, is there any way you are going that direction?" (pointing to the right). He sat there for a minute looking at me (his car looked as though he'd come in from that direction, so he probably was going the other direction...) and he said, "You need ride?" I said yes and he said, "I can do that. I do that!" :) So after he finished filling up he drove me to the off ramp. (After walking State Street for 45 minutes I got in the car with a complete stranger...does THAT make me a hooker?! Lol.)

I ran down to my car and tried to put the gas in. There was a little cap on the gas can that you had to push in the two sides and then twist (like some Rx's) to get it off. Seeing how I hadn't been wearing a coat or anything, I was completely freezing and my hands were frozen. I could not for the LIFE of me open that can. As I tried, I looked down at my right hand and saw that it was covered in blood. I had no idea where the blood was coming from but it looked pretty sick. I guess a few of my fingers (just under the cuticles) split open from being cold. They tend to do that when I get really cold. Anyway, I could not open the can so after a bit of frustration I decided to try to flag someone down. People were looking at me pretty strangely as I waved my blood covered hand for some help. Finally some old guy with a big belt buckle and a beater car stopped. I went up to his window and he looked pissed off. Why do you stop if you are pissed off about it??! He told me that his son's friend stopped to help someone a few weeks ago and someone hit his car at 60 MPH and he died. I guess that was why he was pissed. Anyway, he finally got the lid off the can for me and then kept stopping me before I walked away. "Wait...did you try to start your car after it had died?" I told him no and then tried to walk away again and he stopped me, "Wait...because if you did you'd have to pour gas into the carborator because...(I had no idea what he was talking about)." I told him again that I didn't. Then he started telling me something else I might have to do. Finally I was walking away and he was like, "Hey!" So I stopped again and he shouted out his car, "Do you wanna learn how to square dance?!" (What the...) Right here on the off ramp? I was a bit confused but told him I was sure my husband would love to. (Every time we go to the Bountiful Pioneer Day parade and see those old folk square dancers Mike always says that when we're old we're gonna do that. Haha! I actually think he might be serious. Lol. And this guy looks just like one of those old men you'd see in the parade.) So he calls me back to the car and says it's totally free and starts writing down a phone number. He says "Now this isn't country dancing, it's square dancing! We do it to old country music and sometimes we use rock music!" (He says this like that's gonna hook me. Lol.) Anyway, I guess Mike and I'll be starting his aspiration early and maybe we'll be in the parade next year! Lol Just kidding. But we'll give them a call and see what it's like. When I told my sisters and mom, etc, Michelle (or as we like to call her "Momshell") said she and her husband want to do it too so I have to give her the number! Lol! It'd be fun to go with them. :)

Anyway, that was my exciting Monday. :) I was too late to make it to Western Nut in time but I was able to get to the theater before the movie started so it was all good! I'll have to write later on my Twilight thoughts. I'm not gonna say anything now cause I don't want to ruin the anticipation! :)