My housesitting job for July has fallen through. My car still is not finished. Since I don’t have wheels, I haven’t been able to go searching for camping equipment, and since I don’t have a local address, I haven’t been able to order anything online. And so my adventure continues.
I’ll be able to find places to spend the night, places where people won’t turn me away even if they weren’t exactly thrilled about my staying with them, which is nice. I certainly don’t like the prospect of living on the streets in this weather. 105° yesterday. Oh, my. Not that I would have to live on the streets. I could go stay in a motel somewhere, but I’d be pretty much trapped.
My main focus next week will be to see if I can light a fire under the body shop guy. I’ll call, go visit him, see if I can get others to go on my behalf. I understand this isn’t his only job. I understand it’s taking longer than he expected. I understand it’s an old car and needs special care. But enough is enough. (It wouldn’t bother me so much if I still had the housesitting job, but I’m not ready to be out in the world without transportation.) I’ve considered taking a trip by plane or by bus, but if I weren’t here to nag the auto body guy, I might never get the car back.
Meantime, I’m just going with the flow. Waiting to see what if anything transpires. Making lists of people and places to visit. Dreaming about sleeping under the stars (though what good that will do me since without my glasses on, I couldn’t see them anyway).
This isn’t exactly the way I’d planned to spend these months, living on the mercy of friends and acquaintances, but to paraphrase my Aunt Mil, when things don’t go as planned, that’s when the real adventure begins.
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Pat Bertram is the author of the suspense novels Light Bringer, More Deaths Than One, A Spark of Heavenly Fire, and Daughter Am I. Bertram is also the author of Grief: The Great Yearning, “an exquisite book, wrenching to read, and at the same time full of profound truths.” Connect with Pat on Google+. Like Pat on Facebook.
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June 28, 2015 at 7:24 pm
Are you sure that guy is actually working on the car? He could have built you a new one from scratch in all this time.
July 1, 2015 at 11:56 am
Yes. I went to see the car yesterday. About broke my heart to see it in such a state of flux.
July 5, 2015 at 7:18 am
These kinds of situations bother me because when jobs drag on, there never seems to be anything one can do about it but keep waiting. So one’s life is in a state of flux partly because (in this case) the car repair wasn’t finished when promised and still isn’t finished now.
July 5, 2015 at 5:57 pm
People keep telling me to nag him, to give ultimatums, to demand he rent me a car. The truth is, he is charging a fraction of what others would and is doing more for the work. He’s not going to be making a lot of money. But there really isn’t much I can do about it except get away from the people who are nagging me about nagging him. I’m hanging around two more weeks, and then I’ll take off by bus or train.
June 28, 2015 at 7:42 pm
absolutely agree with that statement! It great to plan, but its also good to let go, and see what happens. I had the best adventures when I just went with the flow. Good luck!
June 28, 2015 at 8:16 pm
Have you thought of asking him if you could help him work on it? Then, it might get done faster. Or, just hanging around the shop, waiting, since you don’t have anything else to do at the present time. He might work faster on it, if you were there. Just a thought.
June 28, 2015 at 8:19 pm
What is wrong with this auto body guy? You’d think the first time he’d move his ass. I thought his wife being there would at least make him move a bit faster. Some people!
June 28, 2015 at 9:21 pm
Already know you don’t want to hear my thoughts on this but,
Be blessed and be well
Ree`
June 28, 2015 at 9:57 pm
Why don’t I want to hear your thoughts?
June 30, 2015 at 8:40 am
I hope you get your car back soon–in great condition!!!!