Almost Home

So Midas claimed the Jeepster was ready to roll on June 6.  Joyce, Shealyn and I toodled over to Falmouth, and they dropped me off at Midas.  It was so exciting to actually get in the car, turn it on, and drive away.  There warn't any gas registered on the gauge, so I pulled into the Sunoco lot, two doors away, and pumped in five gallons.  Hey, this is a real car!  Excitedly I shared my enthusiasm with the attendant, who, unfortunately failed to understand a word I said, but smiled widely.
Back on the road, I shifted carefully and motored along Route 28.  It was late morning, traffic was flowing rapidly along, and I felt totally in charge.  For a short distance.  As I approached the intersection by Stop & Shop, I heard something click as I stopped and tried to shift into first gear.  What was that sound?
I couldn't put the car into gear.  I couldn't move.  I had no blinkers, no brake lights, no signals.  I just sat there, dumb-founded.  Anxious drivers tooted and waved, but I was stuck.  I called Joyce.  No answer.  I called Midas, and got put on hold.  I tried again.  Finally Geoff answered and said he'd send a mechanic, Ron, right over.  A policeman asked if I was OK; I said help was on the way.  He smiled and moved on.
Ron arrived and quickly diagnosed the problem.  When Midas installed a new clutch they neglected to repair the clutch linkage, so the new clutch was too powerful for the old framework.  Nothing to be done on Route 28.  Call AAA and get towed back to Midas.
Joycie showed up, with Shealyn calmly surveying the scene from her carseat.  Another cop came along behind me and asked if I was OK.  I told him I had called AAA; help was on the way.  Joyce told the cop she'd pull up behind me and put on her flashers, to alert drivers to swing around me.  Ron returned to Midas.  I sat there.
Additional pressure was that I had a boat reservation for the Jeepster, which I obviously couldn't use at the moment, so I had to call and postpone it.  Also, I was scheduled to drive the afternoon school bus run, and it looked like I'd miss the 12:15 boat home, which would make me late.  I wanted to call my supervisor, Jimmy Flynn, but held off, not knowing if AAA would make it within their thirty-minute window.
They did!  The tow truck pulled in.  I said I had to dash for the boat and couldn't stay around for social commentary or filling out forms.  The guy said he'd take over.  He backed into position to tow the Jeepster.  I hurried into Joyce's front seat and we sped off to the boat, making it with minutes to spare.
Aboard ship all was well, at least at first.  Joyce had picked up lunch for us and we munched away as the Governor steamed out of Woods Hole and proceeded across the Sound.  And then stopped.  And backed up. And turned to head back to Woods Hole.  My heart started to beat a little faster.  What was wrong?  I would be late for the bus.  What was going on?
Joyce, bless her, wandered around to find a crew man and asked what was happening.  Turns out they needed to make a compass adjustment and had to head back to Woods Hole before crossing the Sound.  Which they did.  Eventually we turned around again, and made it to Vineyard Haven nearly thirty minutes late, but with sufficient time to catch my bus.
So, the adventure continued.  I did actually drive the Jeepster.  It runs.  It felt cool.  But I had the first of many driving adventures in that short half-mile ride and break-down by Stop & Shop.  When asked where my car was, all I could say was. "It's on the way!"