Out of my Mind and Out of my Car

For the whole of this post I will complain about the problems with my car that I had in the last two days due to my carelessness. You've been warned.

After work yesterday, I was supposed to drive to David's house to see how his Mum was after her operation. I got out of work as soon as I could and as my hand went for my car keys inside my bag, I got a sinking feeling.

My keys were inside my locked car. As I came to my vehicle, I saw them in the ignition, just the way I left them in the morning.

How could this have happened? Well, I wasn't totally empty-minded. I got distracted. In the morning before getting out of my car, I was talking on my mobile so when I finished I thought I completely switched off the car and taken out the keys. Obviously not.

Anyway, I called roadside assistance (after calling my Dad). Then I called David to let him know I was going to be late. He laughed and said not to worry.

Finally when the guy came, he made opening a locked door look so simple! He said, "This isn't your first time, is it?" I got offended and said, "It is, actually!" Do I look like I lock myself out on a regular basis? Hmph.

After I thanked him and he left, I turned on the car but it wouldn't start! The battery was flat. I called roadside assistance again, hoping they'd get the same guy to turn around and come back. But they wouldn't. They told me someone would come within an hour. I was so annoyed. I mean, the guy who opened my car was probably only a street away!

I called David to tell him. He started laughing again. He volunteered to come and recharge the battery himself because he had the equipment. I told him not to worry because the guy could've gotten there before him.

I felt pretty stupid at having wasted so much time because of my lack of focus. But not as stupid as I felt today in the morning.

I was about to go to work when I switched on the car and lo and behold, it wouldn't start! I tried to switch it on a few times but nothing. I ran upstairs to tell my Dad. He said, "Is the break in Parking?" and I was like, "Of course!" Why would I not put it in Park when I've been doing that for the last few years, ever since I started driving? Then he started saying that I wrecked the battery. I was like, "But I had it on for over half an hour yesterday, just as the guy said!" (Whine, whine)

Called up work to tell them I was going to be late. My boss was really nice and said, "That's ok, take your time". When the guy arrived, he checked the battery and said, "It's fine. Try to start it". So I tried but it wouldn't work. The guy was puzzled by this and said, "The battery is definitely not the problem". I wanted to tell Dad, "I told you so!" but I kept quiet and hoped it wasn't something worse.

Then the guy got inside my car and said, "Oh! Your car is in Drive! You can't start it unless it's in Park!" Maybe he felt my embarrassment because he added, "It's hard to see here in the dark". My Dad shook his head and said, "Children," like I was ten or something! I hoped the guy didn't hear him.

From now on, I will tick off things on my mental list:
- break: off
- gear: park
- keys: in bag
- bag: in hand
- brain: (hopefully still with me)