Do unto others…..(part III)

We had just turned the corner and we could see the highway from the next light. The car seemed fine and hubby seemed to be calming down a bit. It was starting to get dark and I was getting anxious to get home and feed my family. I knew that the car would break down again but I have to admit, I was hoping it would at least get us home first. Well, hopes aren’t facts, and the fact was we were in for another adventure before we reached home.

We turned onto the highway and were on our way. It was still a bit of traffic from commuters on their way home, and that slowed up our trip. With a car that is prone to over-heating and the possibility of us getting stuck in more traffic on the way home, our odds for getting the hunk of junk home were not good. Usually I would remind Hubby of these things and urge him to take another way home, a back way no where near a busy highway, but I knew that this was the time for me to keep quiet. I said nothing and let him go on his way. We made it to the first of many exits we needed to reach in order to get home and like clock work, the car started to over heat again. This time, Hubby couldn’t even steer the car. He had to immediately pull over and turn off the car.

The ritual started again. The car was turned completely off, popped the hood and trunk, grabbed the bottle of anti-freeze and attempted to fill it up again. Obviously we were losing anti-freeze as well and that added fuel to the fire. I looked up and could see Hubby laying his head on the open hood. He was almost spent. I was waiting for him to say “uncle” but not yet. That stubborn streak in my boy definitely comes from his daddy. Hubby got back in the car, turned it on and attempted to drive a bit more. We made it half a mile before it completely stopped. Right on the highway. Fortunately, he was able to cruise it onto the side of the highway before it sputtered and dropped dead. This was it. Hubby just sat there. I looked out the window at the river that was under the highway’s bridge and just waited for it.

“This is all my fault.” He whispered to me.
“I’m sorry, what did you say?”
“This. All this is all my fault.”
I decided to play dumb and see if the lesson was fully learned.
“Uh, what do you mean?”
“All this is happening because of what I did yesterday. When I keyed that car.”
“Oh, yeah. I know. That’s why I laughed when it started smoking.”
I didn’t say I told you so. I wanted to…..I so wanted to, but I knew it wasn’t necessary. Karma had taken care of it for me and I didn’t have to say anything.

Luckily, I was smart enough to put roadside assistance on my cell phone plan when I got the new one, so I called and they came to pick us up from the side of the highway in about 15 minutes. Because we were in an awkward area and spot, we had to pay 16 bucks for the tow truck to come and get us. Funny thing is, if we would have stayed at that gas station and called then, it would have been free, would have saved us gas, anti-freeze and oh yeah, time. But hubby had to learn his lesson and we needed to be there for the ride.

We had the driver drop our car off at the Pep Boys near our house and my dad was there waiting to drive us home. Hubby had to call his boss and tell him he would be missing work the next day, thus having us lose even more money for the week. We were exhausted but relieved by the time we got home. I fed my boys(even the kitty), put the little one immediately into bed(poor thing was falling asleep at the dinner table) and sat down with hubby to watch a little TV before bed.

“So, you learned your lesson?” I asked with a big grin.
“Yes, I did. Sorry I didn’t listen.”
“So, you’re gonna listen to your wife now?! Holy crap!”
He laughed and I gave him a kiss on the forehead. Then I shooed him off to bed and cleaned up a bit.
He was out in 5 minutes flat. Boy, those Karma lessons can sure tucker a person out. Now, let’s see how long this lesson lasts. I’m hoping forever, but like I said, hopes aren’t facts.