My car lives

Crazy how time flies. It's almost been about a week since my car incident. Last Tuesday was apparently going too well, got into work early to leave early, sunny skies, and a really good workout. On my sunny drive home, only about 20 minutes away, my car began slowing to a stop on B299. This road is like a county road in the states, frequently used by those living in the area and connecting several towns.

I managed to coast to a small break in guardrail and a lady helped me push my car the rest of the way onto the small patch of asphalt. We spoke in bad German and hand signals. She asked if I needed more help, a phone to call with or a number. I was al little confused about the number part, but told her I was okay. I have ADAC, like AAA, and would call them.

Hoping to spend more time with Nate that night, I left work early. I told him I'd be home about 5:30, so I called him right away to tell him I was stranded and I'd be starting my calls to Peter, the guy who sold me the car, and then ADAC. Peter was off in the woods cutting down trees, so I needed to get ADAC to check the car and then tow it to his house. Great. So, I call ADAC. I tell the lady I'm on B299 between two cities, but she doesn’t understand. I'm doing this all in German, but she doesn’t know how I can be by Pfaffenhofen and on B299. There are of course 2 Pfaffenhofens in Germany, maybe more, so I tell her the direction of two other towns near me. She becomes frustrated and transfers me to another woman. The second woman was much more helpful. I told her where I was and the direction I was traveling. Someone will be on the way, and I’m a priority cuz I'm in a dangerous location. Great! Have someone there in 30-45 minutes, maybe, then bring the car to Peter's home by 7 or 8, right.

I waited by the road for about an hour and a half before the first guy came. Either there were a lot of emergencies, or priority means nothing, I think the later. He checks the car out, broken fuel pump. Need to be towed. Nice, I asked for a ADAC truck that could tow to start with, but of course, no luck. The guy calls ADAC, says a truck should come in 30 minutes, okay, not too bad. I'm only starving and been walking in the dirt with my nice work shoes on, pacing at the side of the road bored.

Thirty minutes go by and I get a call, the truck is leaving now, and where am I? What? Where am I? I explain where I am in German again, I think he gets it and he hangs up. Another 30 minutes and he arrives, as it's getting dark. First he checks out the car again, then paperwork. After about 20-30 minutes we get the car hooked up to put on the flatbed of the truck. I think I'll be home in an hour, I call Nate to tell him I'm on my way through town, to Peter's, then the guy will bring me home.

The guy's GPS doesn't know where Hardt is...? I tell him I know the way to drive there, the way I always take. If he doesn’t know where it is, that's all we've got. We get into Lupburg, head down the hill, to find the road is closed, nice. No detour signs, so I call Nate ad he calls his boss. It's already about 9pm now, maybe later. We drive around forever trying to get there, through farms, back roads, several U-turns. We get to Peter's and unload the car, yay. Almost home. He didn't want to go back the same way thinking there was a short cut, so we get lost again for a long time. Half the time he's on the phone with his boss arguing. It's mildly amusing, but I'm tired and don't care. We finally get to the autobahn to drive to Parsberg. I have to call Nate to get me from the gas station because it took so long to get back. It's 10:30.

Nate comes to pick me up and takes me home. I have two hockey puck burgers for dinner and go to bed. Nate isn't a bad cook, just made dinner for me when I thought I'd be home at least an hour earlier.

I got to pick up the car after work the next day. Nate rode into work with his boss, so I could take his car. It's all better now, so I hope it stays that way for a while. What a pain and extra long day.