A CURSED DAY

There are just some days I should probably never leave my house! I’m mostly homebound and I’m not complaining. However I do enjoy a day out every now and then.

This particular day, I had been looking forward to with delight. I was meeting my friend Priscilla. We were lunching at an Asian buffet in town that has the best sushi around! We had planned this two weeks before.

The previous day and the day after were bright and sunny, which is unusual because this is our monsoon season. And usually the rain hits mostly in the afternoon.

That morning however, the sky was dark. I thought it would surely clear. But as I pulled out of my garage rain suddenly poured down in torrents! And my garage door refused to close! No matter how hard or as many times as I pressed the clicker, it refused to budge. And my neighbor had installed a new battery just the last January when I was in Thailand.

I grabbed my umbrella and ran inside. I would go out the front door and walk around. However, I always struggle with that lock from the outside. I was getting drenched and the key just stuck! Then I remembered that I have a double garage, I’d go out that door. I wanted to slap myself! By now, I was soaked!

The rain was fierce and the streets were soon flooding with puddles. It became difficult for me to see thru the windshield wipers. I decided to take the longer route to the restaurant with less traffic. My car is old, low-built and long. Whenever water splashes up into the fan belt my steering wheel locks! As soon as I got into heavier traffic I held my breath every time I made a turn! I had a terrible sense of foreboding.

Arriving at the restaurant, the parking lot was jammed with cars. I was forced to park a distance away. As soon as I turned off the ignition another car pulled in close, a man jumped out and ran to the restaurant. His car was parked so near to mine I had to do gymnastics with my umbrella to get out in the heavy rain. It was a really tight squeeze!

This day just seemed to be cursed!

After being seated inside, Priscilla was 20 minutes late. I feared she was in an accident! Fortunately, it was a client showing up just as she was leaving. (This happened to me all the time when I worked in the family business.) Not realizing I didn’t have a cell phone she’d sent an email. I told her next time to call the restaurant. – That's what we did before cell phones!

Priscilla is wonderful company and worth waiting for, our lunch together was delightful as usual.

Afterward, we said good-by at the restaurant door. It was still raining. I was relieved to see there was now an empty space beside my car.

I turned the key in the ignition and my car refused to start! I tried again, same thing. I pulled the key out and just sat there awhile. It was getting hot inside, but I couldn’t open any windows due to the torrential downpour.

Again, I tried. This time my car started!!!  Relieved, I took the same route home.

As I turned into my neighborhood the heavy rain abruptly stopped. My garage door now opened immediately with no problems.

The following day, I took my car to a mechanic to check the battery. He stated it looked just fine!

I wonder if there was something in the atmosphere that particular day affecting batteries??? Because my garage clicker is also working perfectly, now!

Anyway, after returning home, I felt an enormous sense of relief. Later, I made myself a delicious cup of French vanilla coffee and I started thinking. Despite everything and all of those unpleasant things that occurred, I had returned safe and unscathed along with my car. Plus I had enjoyed a delicious lunch with Priscilla’s company.

The day was not cursed after all, just the opposite!