The Adventure That Wasn't

It all started around 9:30 Sunday night.  I wanted to see Fright Night, cause, let's face it, Colin Farrell as Jerry the vampire and Peter Vincent played by my favorite doctor, David Tennant?  Yes, please.  If you haven't seen the original, with Chris Sarandon (Prince Humperdink), as Jerry, I strongly recommend it.  So the plan was to go to an 9:55 showing and to meet a couple of friends from work there.  I looked up directions since we had never been to this theater before, and in a moment of incredible foresight, I choose the route taking the roads I know rather than the quickest one involving the interstate.  We get downstairs, and as we're walking towards the cars, Nathan asks which one we're taking.  I realize I forgot my keys upstairs and Nathan says it's no big deal we can take his, cause it should be ok.  This was our first mistake.

Let me explain:  We had just taken Nathan's car into the shop the previous week for acceleration issues.  It has been acting a little overtuned since he got it back, but generally ok.  Also, it should be noted that Nathan drives a stick.

So we get on the road.  And as we're driving it's still acting a little funky but generally ok.  Until we get to the first hill.  And, let me stress that this is not a big hill.  The car starts slowing down, and Nathan keeps trying to rev it with NOTHING happening in the acceleration department.  It got to the point that I was a little worried we'd roll backwards.  From that point on, the car was failing hardcore.  He'd be revving the engine to the point of 5 or 6 rpms and it would get to an acceptable speed eventually, but by eventually, I mean a couple miles and an acceptable speed would be 30.  Did I mention the route to the theater involved highways? (at least it didn't involve interstates.  See? I'm awesome!) Yeah, and stoplights.  So there we were going around 30 on the highway praying for the light to not turn red because then the process starts all over again.  So, at this point, we've been on the road for twenty minutes on what should have been a 15 minute drive and we're nowhere close to the theater.  I was starting to freak out and we decide that the theater isn't going to happen.  Called our friends to let them know;  "go on without us, Save yourselves!!" and we limped the car into a Kohls parking lot.  Also, at this point he was having serious problems getting the car to 20 mph and there was a distinct burnt rubber smell.  We realize, the car is not making it back to the apartment.

So, there we are, stranded in a business area of Madison, at 10 o'clock on a Sunday night.  We decide to get a cab.  "Wait, CRAP, we don't have cash," I realize.  So we start walking to find an ATM.  We see a bank nearby and walk there.  Only, they want to charge a $5.00 fee just to use their ATM.  "F That!" we decide.  In the distance, I see a Hooters.  "I got it!  Let's just walk to Hooters! Surely, they have an ATM, and we can grab a beer while we wait for the cab.  I want beer."  We start walking, and somewhere on the way there I mention that it's "adventures like this that bring marriages closer together."  We get to Hooters.  No ATM.  So, farther down the street, I see a shell gas station.  "ok, they HAVE to have an ATM" and we start walking.  Luckily, the gas station did, in fact, have a gas station.  We get money, a couple of drinks, and Nathan finds the number for a cab (thank god for smartphones!) and calls them.  Their response:  "We'll work on getting someone out there"

My response:  "....what the hell does THAT mean?"

So there we were, 10:30ish at this point on a Sunday night in Madison, and what are we doing?  Loitering outside of a shell gas station because we didn't think to go back to the Hooters to call the cab from there.  And now, Nathan keeps going on about wanting an adventure.  Yep, hanging out outside of a gas station.

We keep it classy.

Nathan looking excited.  Clearly, I should not have used the word adventure.

Did I mention I take pictures when I'm bored?

So, while we're waiting outside the gas station I mention that I feel like we're in a Jay and Silent Bob scene, only I'm a chick so we're missing one.  Nathan perks up and goes "Yeah, I need Brian!"  Then realizes we're in Madison and Brian is in Mattoon.

Then, he got sad.

After what seemed like hours, but was, in reality, roughly 30 minutes the cab gets there and we're on our way home!  I look at the cab window......and see a Visa and Mastercard sticker......

WHEN DID CABS START TAKING DEBIT?!?!  Why didn't I know this before walking all over the place for an ATM?!

Finally, we were home.  No Harold and Kumar adventures to speak of, but we made the best out of our situation.  If your wondering what was wrong with the car?  The clutch went out.  Found that out the next day after retrieving it from Kohls.

And, I still want to go see Fright Night.