Several months ago, we landed in a major city for one of our ‘Just Breathe Sessions’. As usual, we headed toward the car rental area of the airport to pick up our car for the week. Simple enough, right?
We exchanged pleasantries with the employees at the counter, completed our paperwork and then went to pick up our car. Very normal routine, so one would think. NOT!
Ok, here’s the story. As we are walking toward our car, continuing to talk about the sessions we had just completed in another state and imagining what this week would bring, we soon realized we had walked passed 100+ vehicles all neatly parked in their respective slots just waiting for their opportunity to leave that parking garage. We stopped in the middle of the garage, checked our rental agreement and there it was in plain view on the paper, slot 174. Ok, we still have a few slots to go. SO, we continued talking and laughing, completely oblivious to anything or anyone else around. We were pulling 2 very large suitcases, our media devices, and our briefcases in 100 degrees in this parking garage and it was about 110 degrees outside; STILL we proceeded on to slot 174.
“THERE IT IS!”, we exclaimed. Finally, we found it. Our countenance changes a bit as we cast our eyes on the very tiny, grey VWJ. Yes, our car for the week was a Volkswagen Jetta with a turbo engine. A vision of loveliness. Ok, this will be fun. Alice, being the designated driver by choice, began clicking the key button to pop open the trunk so we can load up our stuff and be on our way to our destination.
‘Click’. ‘Click’. ‘Click’. ‘Click’. ‘Click’. ‘Click’.
Nothing happened. No pop-up trunk. No problem, we will just look inside the car for the button for the trunk. At least the car doors opened with the clicks. Now we are both inside, pushing and pulling EVERY button and knob we could find. Still no pop-up trunk. Well, we reasoned the old VW’s had the trunk in the front of the car, so we tried desperately to open the hood in hopes of locating the trunk. We then decided to google “How to open the trunk of a VWJ”. We now realize that our cell batteries are both in the red zone. No worries, we will just plug them in when we get in the car, like we normally do. Back to the trunk.
After pushing every button in, on, inside, out, and front to back, we got on our hands and knees to look under the car. Temperatures are soaring and we are standing in the middle of the parking garage with our massive load of luggage. We spot one of the employees helping someone around slot 25. Remember, we are at slot 174 and we decided, even with our prim and proper selves, to yell for HELP. Yes, we yelled, “Hey! Hey! We need help! We need HELP!” So, the employee took the long trek to slot 174. “Well, hello again ladies. You still here? How can I help you?”
With our clothes drenched, due to the humidity and the 100-degree weather in the South, and our luggage still sitting in the garage, we humbly admitted that we had exhausted every option known to us to gain entry to the trunk of our car. “OH”, said the employee. “I’ll bet you were about to walk back to the desk for help”.
Uh, NO, that had not even entered our 100 degree, frustrated, sweaty, minds. Quickly glancing at one another, we both gave a shrug of the shoulders and responded, “What a great idea.” Then we doubled over laughing because we were going to call 911. The employee calmly says, “Here, let me get that trunk for you.” So, with 1 click of the key pad and 1 push on the VWJ logo on the back of the trunk, to our great surprise, the trunk OPENS. We are ecstatic while laughing hysterically.
Now, we see the size of the trunk and the size of our luggage and immediately stop. Thoughts of the ‘Beverly Hillbillies’ crossed our mind. Headed down the interstate, luggage strapped on the top with some hanging out the backseat windows. We must have looked very bewildered, because the young man said, “Here Ladies, let me help you with that”. We are FINALLY in our car after 1 hour plus and are soaking wet from the temperature.
Laughing hysterically, we slowly back out of slot 174. As we exited the garage, we realize that our cell phones are now dead and there is no GPS in our VWJ. We deducted that if we could find a major highway, there would be signs to our destination, which we knew was roughly an hour away from the airport. Thankfully, we discovered we had enough power in one of our phones to get directions to the highway we knew was our direction.
We found it! Now we are on our way while singing and laughing to the core of our being about what had just happened. It took us longer to get out of the parking garage and on our way than it took to fly from our previous engagement in Dallas. Moral of this very true story is don’t panic when life throws you the unexpected. You might have to yell for help, but go ahead, yell.
HE is listening and HE will help.
“HE is our VERY present help in time of trouble.”
“Cast the care of yourself on HIM because HE cares for you and about you .”
