A Good Deed

My parents are selling their house and often have people come to look.  When they come, they have to leave the house and take their dog.  Now generally speaking this isn’t a huge problem.  Except right now my mom’s MS is acting up and she can’t drive.  Meaning on good weather days, she just takes the dog to a neighbor’s house, reads a book and waits for the house-hunters to leave.

Yesterday was not such a day.  Yesterday, it was pouring rain.  So she couldn’t exactly just take the dog out.  Instead I said I’d come over and take the dog and run a few errands.

So off I went yesterday to her house, picked her and the dog up, and went to a local shopping center to get something for work.  She planned to stay in the car with the dog and I said ok, well I’ll leave the car running.  ”No don’t be silly, you can turn it off,” says my mom and we went back and forth.  Finally we settled on me turning the car off but leaving the keys.

I go into the store and about 20 minutes later (lines!) come out to head back to her house.  Except … the car won’t start.

Me: What did you do to my car?

Her: Nothing.

Me: Well it was working when I went into the store!

An hour later AAA came to give us a jump start (my mom’s dog also showered him with kisses–I think he knew this was someone we were happy to see!).  They confirmed it was the battery (not the alternator) and could replace it for $127.50.  Um …. let me think about that.  In the meantime, I’ll drive my now working car back to my mom’s house … and take a nap since this took a lot out of pregnant Sara!

I wake up to my mom telling me my car is fixed. Huh?

Apparently when my dad got off work and came home my mom explained what happened (we didn’t call to tell him while we were at work since there was nothing he could do but worry) and he took my car to a local repair shop.  Apparently the batter was fine … it was just dirty.  So a few dollars later for a some cleaning materials–and now my car works fine.

And I’d like another nap.