Lucky Bastard!

We just got back from visiting my Mom in Oklahoma City - I have plenty of material from that trip, but first I have to share this story.

Driving home from the airport last night we hit a lot of traffic, mainly due to the fires burning in the Los Angeles area. I mentioned that I was low on gas as we crawled along, but I thought I could make it home without any problem. I didn't want to stop, I wanted to get home after a long day of traveling.

Katy encouraged me to get off the freeway and get gas. I did not.

Then we got off the freeway to make our way home on surface streets. We went past many gas stations. Again, Katy encouraged me to stop at one for gas. Again, I did not.

In addition to not stopping, I deepened my own impending doom by delivering a small lecture about how many miles I thought I could get on a tank of gas and my belief that I had at least a gallon and a half left in the tank.

As we pulled into our subdivision the car started to lurch a little bit. Katy asked what was wrong. I told her we were running out of gas. The response went something like this:

"You had how many chances to stop for gas and now we're running out? If we don't make it home you are never going to hear the end of it!"

I started checking for likely street parking spots as we lurched up the hill to our house. Luckily, one last surge of fuel powered us into the driveway. Woo HOO!

Katy shook her head and told me in no uncertain terms that I was a lucky bastard, and that she was going to tell this story to everybody. I said that she was right, and that I would do her one better and put it in my weblog. I admit that it was perilously close, but I did get us home without mishap - more or less.

This morning I used my lawn mower gas to get the car down to the gas station. And now I know just how far I can go in my new (old) wheels!