In the Hospital

The car died yesterday. We got it resuscitated after a boost and a couple of bangs on the gas tank to jar the fuel pump that’s sitting inside there. It only woke up long enough to allow us to take it to a shop just around the block from where we were where it promptly rolled over, sucked in one last breathe, and died again.

We had to leave it there and they are going to admit it today to do some heavy duty checking and repairing. The man who talked to us was quite understanding of our dilemma and while we stood in his shop discussing, in French, what we would do next so the people around us wouldn’t understand how devastated we were, and how this whole thing would set us back if we could even figure out a way around it, this man came to join us and told us, in French, nonetheless, “Vous pouvez utilizer ma voiture pendant q’uon repaire la votre.” Which means, “You ladies are welcomed to use a vehicle of mine while we fix yours.”

I almost kissed the man just like I almost kissed the TELUS guy the other day when he finally figured out what our internet problem after six months of us experiencing continuous aggravating problems and after him spending three hours trying to figure it out. He wasn’t about to leave (nor would I let him) until everything was up and running like it should. Take note, I said, “almost” kissed these two gentlemen. I expressed my deep gratitude instead.

So here we are, yesterday and today with a little car with the sun visors on backwards. You would have to stand outside the car and look through the windshield to view yourself in the mirror on them. With a car that vibrates so much when idling at a street light that we can feel out teeth rattling in our mouth but it’s smooth once we’re going. With a car that when Andree, over on the passenger side turns down her window more than half way, it goes “click,” the door unlocks and it swings open. Apart from that - it’s in excellent shape.

It’s one of those 800 dollar cars with a 2000 dollar stereo but it works like a charm and it’s getting us from point A to point B and we’re grateful to have it while our baby is in the hospital. We’re the anxious parents waiting patiently on the outside while it gets poked and prodded and treated today.

We will be anxiously awaiting a phone call sometimes this afternoon to let us know when it’s out of surgery and when it’s time to go pick it up. The only part we’re not anxious about is the bill that will come with it as we don’t have any medical insurance of any kind and from what we were told already it’s not going to be cheap to bring her home but we can’t be without her so we’ll have to find a way. “Act with faith,” they say. What else is a person going to do..........