stranded at wal-mart

it's just been one of those days.
as some of you know (either by being my 'real-life' friend, or just by reading my blog regularly) the burban has been in the shop for about a week and i've been driving a pt cruiser rental. it's been fun and cute and a nice change. the kids love it because its flashy and obnoxiously blue. today, however, the honeymoon ended. i went to walmart for grocery outing numero uno. on the way there the gas light came on. 'no big deal,' i thought, 'i still have an 8th of a tank left. i'll get gas after i'm done shopping.' i came out, loaded up the car with my groceries and got molly strapped in. the car started and promptly shut down. i started it again. and again. and again. then i prayed. then i held mollys hand and we both prayed (where 2 or more are gathered, right?), "Lord, just get me to the gas station!" i mean, i could throw a rock and hit it. i was tempted to push my car to the gas station, but i wasn't in the mood to look like a moron. so i called allen
allen: "hello?"
me: "ok, i'm in trouble and we have 2 options."
allen: "o....k....?"
me: "i'm out of gas at walmart-"
allen: "aw, babe!"
me: "i thought i had enough gas! it didnt give me fair warning! you're supposed to have at least 10 or so more miles when the light comes on and i was less than a mile away from walmart when the light came on! this is ridiculous! anyway, so i can go inside, buy a gas can, walk to the gas station with molly and bring gas back to the car. OR, you can come rescue me."
allen: "well, that depends on how long you want to wait. it'll be at least 45 minutes before i can get there."
me: "ok, i'll take care of it. i just didn't know if you would want me to go buy a gas tank when we have 3 at home in the garage already. will i even be able to carry it back to the car? it'll be heavy."
allen: "just get what you can carry and make sure you drive straight over to the pump after you get it started so you can fill it up all the way."
me: "ok. love you bye."
so i get molly out and head back inside to get the gas tank. and lo and behold i run into our pastor and his wife doing their grocery shopping. they live super close and have a gas can at home, so he leaves to go get it and help me out.
turns out its not the gas. he put i dont even know how much in, and it still wouldnt start. then the unlocker button on the key stopped working. mark couldnt jump it, or i guess i should say it wouldn't jump. i'm officially stranded at walmart with melting groceries and a close to melt-down 2 year old.
i called the roadside assistance number on the keychain and after talking to about 10 people in india i got this guy who was obviously reading directions to me, maybe from "Starting a Car: For Dummies." first he asked me if i could get out of the car. then he had me get back in the car and he said, "take the car out of park." and do what? let it roll back into traffic? i'm no expert but how is this going to help? i think the goal was to 'reset' something. not happening homeslice. i finally spoke to someone locally and found out they could send another car to me (from the airport which is about half an hour away on a good day) in 1 to 2 hours.
me: "what about the place 10 minutes away where we got the car? can they not bring me one?"
AVIS lady: "oh, yes that would be much faster. try calling them."
me: "i did call them and some how routed to you (fifteen people later)."
AVIS lady: "yes, if they don't answer you call is directed to the national service desk. you can keep trying till you get them or i can send a car to you, but it will take longer."
me: "ok, thanks. i'll try again."
i called 3 times and the calls kept getting picked up by the national desk.
so i called allen again.
me: (explaining everything thats happened since him thinking i had gone in to buy a gas can). i can't get anyone to help me!! molly is so over this. walmart is not fun anymore today."
allen: "ok. i'll drive to them and then i'll drive to you. i'll have a new car to you shortly."
me: "thanks."
allen had some issues with the guy at the car place. he was not too excited about having to bring me another car, to say the very least.
mark and pam (pastor and his wife) stuck around to keep me company and even took molly in to the walmart mcdonalds for some french fries. so nice of them! i dont know what i would have done if they werent there. called allen sooner probably. i'm so bad at handling car situations. i revert back to a 16 year old girl.
so now i'm driving a black ford focus. not near as exciting...well not exciting at all. my 80 year old pawpaw drives a ford focus. but at least it works, and hopefully will continue to work until i get the burban back on wednesday. ***disclaimer: i'm not knocking anyone who drives a focus. its just quite a step down from a borderline neon blue pt cruiser. thats all i'm saying.***

adding insult to injury, when i was in the checkout line at HEB (i get most stuff at walmart, but produce and meat and HEB), i had been checked out (not literally...as far as i know) and written my check when the register/computer shuts down. seriously? so i stood there, very patiently and graciously for the record, and waited till i was eventually taken to another register to close out the sale.
for lunch (at 2 o'clock, finally) i rewarded myself with the last half of a pint of ben and jerrys that was taunting me from the freezer as i unloaded my drippy not-as-cold-as-they-should-be groceries.

if you are one of those people who uses things based on peoples recommendations, or doesn't use things as it were, we are under the rental car care (or something) of AVIS.
should have picked enterprise i guess. after all, they'll pick you up. especially when the car you rented from them doesnt start, i bet.