The Kindness of Strangers

 

Today was a big day.  I was going to teach tonight's class without a follower assisting, and it's gonna be a big class, and the new cafe annex the class will be in is halfway under construction.  So I just needed to finish my delivery run, get home, get showered, pack the gear and get to the venue.

I returned to the van in downtown Leura to find my rear tyre was flat.  This is my fifth flat tyre on the job so I knew the drill.  First task is to loosen the nuts.  I slipped the cross-wrench on to the first nut and twisted.  It wouldn't budge, not surprising actually, so I tried stepping on the wrench to give my full weight getting maximum torque.  Usually this works. 

I was stumped and pulled out my phone to call for help. At this time a bystander, a courier from another company, offered to help.  

So I said, thanks sure go for it, and this young fella in matching hi-vis grabbed the cross-wrench and twisted. We heard the nut creak and then turn.  I said wow, that's great,  could you maybe just loosen them all for me and I can manage the rest.  Pretty please.  The strapping lad obliged, and when he got all 5 nuts loosened, I shook his hand, thanked him.  

The universe sent me an angel to get me past an obstacle.  Thank you.

Later tonight, we set a new record for the largest class I've ever had in Katoomba at 22 students. There was a reason I got assigned an angel today, all these people were relying on me making it to class !

Surfing the cosmic waves

 No wonder my life has been so crazy lately, my astrologer friend reminded me that we have a full moon occurring simultaneously with the Aussie  winter solstice, and the kicker is that the moon is in Capricorn (my sign) and also year of the Dragon (also me), so okay then.

I hadn't had time to mourn for Divina Black as I had places to be and people to see.  I needed a new ride ASAP. Up until now I was counting on getting a courtesy car while the garage repaired my car. 

However, now I had to change tack  and go car shopping instead.   I had access to $5k for emergencies and this qualifies.  Within 2 hours I followed leads and contacted 2 candidates.   Now I just had to wait for them to get back to me, meanwhile I dashed to the bank for the cash. The wait  was agonizing as the last rays of  the afternoon started to fade. Just before I could call it a day, I got a call that the car was ready if I still wanted it.  

The short story is that I was satisfied with what I was getting for the money,  so I don't think about maybe the other car was a better offer.  Dude,when we asked for auditions, this one showed up and got cast. 

 I handed the cash over and I became the new owner of a 15  year old Honda CR-V with 300,000km of road experience and flaking paintwork  typical of mountain cars parked outside over many frosty mornings and scorching summers.  On the plus side she has rego till next year, new tyres, and runs like new.  

Everyone please meet Lana. Long may she serve.

From Tuesday, I've been feeling this uneasiness in my gut. It seemed like I couldn't see more than a few steps in front of me.  As things unfolded and developed, I had to react and change my objectives. Luckily, my delivery shifts were uncharacteristically brief and freed me up to chase up mechanics, towies, sellers, and wreckers.   Yes, Divina's inert shell has been consigned to the auto recyclers. 

Until emerging on Thursday with Lana,  I all I could do was solve the immediate problem confronting me.  I felt like I was a Jedi using the force to ride the cosmic vortex of Lunar and Solar cycles.

For landing arse-first into a successor vehicle, I am most grateful.

Adios Divina Black

Back in 2012 we named our Subaru Outback family car, she was Divina Black. A fun, versatile and mostly reliable wagon; batteries die, engines overheat, tyres blow out but the NRMA or even myself can always get us back on the road to resume our journey.

Forty-eight hours ago, Divina overheated on the climb to Glenbrook.  She had enough momentum to coast to stop under a street lamp safely off the highway.  My efforts to revive her were futile.  I had to call the NRMA to send a tow truck.  It was 1 AM when we got home, and it's only 5 hours before I had to get up and start my work shift.  It took ages for me to finally fall asleep.

I finished work early afternoon and canvassed a couple of repair shops.  At this point I still thought Divina can be revived by professionals,  but they can't do anything unless I can take the car to their shop.  So I tried calling some local towies, their voicemail greeting recommends sending a text message.  I guess this makes me rather old-fashioned, but  I suppose it also filters out the time-wasters.  So one of them replies texting their tow truck is out of order (so who tows a towie?) Then another texts he can do it for cash.  I ask how soon?  40 minutes.  Ahh the shop closes in 30 minutes, how about tomorrow?  Done.  

Today I completed my delivery shift and went straight to the repair shop hoping for good news.  I saw Divina on their driveway.  When I finally spoke to the mechanic I was told the engine was cooked and cannot be saved.  Divina was gone.