"This Traffic Jam is About to Get a WHOLE Lot Worse!"

I thought, as I sat in stop and go traffic on the infamous Route 128 outside Boston, 75 miles from home, and 100 miles short of my destination, in a construction zone with no breakdown lanes. I was in the far left of the 4 lanes, when my power steering failed and a light on the dash came on with a cute picture of an alternator? (I have no idea what an alternator looks like but I’ve seen this image before….)

I managed miraculously to get over to the right lane, exit the highway and pull into a gas station. It’s not that hard to drive without power steering on the highway, but making a left turn into the gas station was REALLY scary.

How did we ever survive without cell phones? Thanks to mine, I was able to not only call AAA, but my trusty Saab mechanic (nobody warned me that Saab owners are so attached to their mechanics!) to ask what could possibly be wrong, and where the nearest Saab mechanic might be.

One flat bed truck, a 10 mile drive in the front seat of said truck with the 2 drivers, about 30 minutes in the waiting room at Charles River Saab, and I was on my way in a brand new loaner car, arriving in Maine only 2 hours later than planned (still an hour before the reception).

Yes, this was my heralded trip to the TWiNE 2008 opening reception, but that story will have to wait. I just want you all to know how I suffer for my art.

I stayed overnight in Maine, then picked up my car on Saturday, after a nice hairdresser pointed me toward Watertown when I was hopelessly lost, almost out of gas, my cell phone battery running low, and on the verge of hysteria. Oh right, and after I paid an arm and a leg for the repairs.

Want to buy a 9 year old Saab? It’s running fine now!

Well, Ok, the Check Engine light came on today, but it’s probably nothing, I’m sure the car just felt lonely and wanted to visit its special mechanic again. I bought a Saab because I needed a station wagon and during the SUVmania years they all disappeared. I’ve had a love/hate relationship with this car, but I think hate may be pulling ahead.

Things to be thankful for: Getting off the highway safely, Cell phones, Helpful mechanics, Charles River Motors (the oldest Saab dealer in the USA), Credit Cards, helpful hairdressers.