minnesota nice

paying for an extra day in the airport parking lot:  $9

getting the car towed:  $50

having the mechanics check over the engine:  $140

discovering the true meaning of ‘minnesota nice’:  priceless

so…  we arrived back in minnesota wednesday night at 10pm.  we were all quite ready to get home and into bed after a long day of traveling.  got on the shuttle bus that would take us to our car parked in an off-site lot.  marveled at how we filled the bus’ baggage rack all by ourselves with our 2 suitcases, 2 carseats, double stroller, 2 diaper bags, laptop bag, and mikey’s backpack.  got to our car, loaded up, installed the carseats and the kiddos…  only to discover the car wouldn’t start!    thankfully, the driver of the shuttle bus was still there and came over with a jump start kit as we all thought the battery died.  tried it a few times and nothing.  i pray pray pray that the car would start.  so then phil and the driver guy tried using jumper cables hooked to the bus and our car to see if that would work.  still nothing.  not even a click.  allie begins crying.  mikey whimpers.

it’s getting to be quite late and i’m wondering if we’ll ever get home.  continue desperate praying.  phil and the driver discuss whether we should call triple a to either jump start the car or tow it.  driver mentions that the battery appears to be corroded over. allie accelerates to screaming.  mikey sucks on his fingers.  the driver keeps saying, “we need to get your kids home.  my main concern is getting your family home safely.” 

so the driver offers to let us take his own car to get us home.  he was willing to let total strangers drive off with his car!  they go to get the car.  phil drives the guy’s car back to where mikey, allie, and i were waiting, followed by the guy still driving the shuttle bus.  he gets on the cb radio to discuss our situation with another driver.  they conclude the starter in our car is not working.  they further conclude that it’s no use having triple a come and jump start the car or tow it since it’s now midnight and no garage would be open.  allie continues screaming.  mikey looks tired and miserable.

so the driver decides to take time off his shift to drive us home himself!!!  we load our stuff into his car, install the carseats and the kids and off we all go.  the driver guy reassures us that this kind of thing happens more often than we’d think and that he’d driven another lady home just recently.  he also keeps saying how the top priority is getting the family home.  i try to get allie to stop crying.  she finally falls asleep.  mikey continues sucking on his fingers. 

we get home, the driver tells me to get the kids inside while he and phil unload our stuff.  phil offers to pay him for his trouble and he refuses!  and the whole time, i never did get his name. 

now, there’s an example of ‘minnesota nice’ for you!  somehow, i can’t imagine anyone in southern california doing such a thing for total strangers. 

btw, the car is fine.  turns out the starter card (never heard of this before) in the driver’s side of the car was pulled out.  the car won’t start without this card inserted.  wonder who was behind this little stunt?!  (read: MIKEY!)  cost us $200 to find out it was only this simple thing!  the up side is that no expensive, major repairs were needed.  and, we will be letting the driver guy’s employer know what a great employee they have.  i think phil got his name.