Standing Tall

The musings of a twenty something girl from the Midwest.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Traffic Jammed

I am completely terrified of driving in Boston. I don’t own a car and usually resort to taking the T everywhere. On the off chance that I will need a car I usually get a zip car or Steve will occasionally leave me his car while he is off on one of his multiple business trips. The only places I really know how to drive to in Boston are: the super-market, Paul and Beth’s house, and the airport. So any real amount of driving usually puts me on edge and I get even more nervous when I’m driving Steve’s car because it’s a manual car and I am afraid of doing something stupid and wrecking it.

This brings us to last Friday when Steve called me from the airport so he could get a ride home. We had worked out before his trip that I would have the car so I could pick him up, then we could enjoy the rest of our Friday together. I jumped in the car and headed to the airport, I noticed that the gas gauge was at a fourth of a tank but the airport is only fifteen minutes away so I figured I would be fine.

That was until half an hour later I was still on the highway stuck in traffic not moving. This was my first time in traffic in a standard car and let me tell you it was an awful experience. My legs were cramping from holding in the clutch so much, I was sweating from the heat, and I was watching the gas gauge go down to empty. I panicked, I had no idea where I was (other then on the highway), there were no exits around, and I didn’t know how to get to a gas station from any exit that might be near by (the tend not to put many gas stations in downtown Boston or in the North End). I called Steve panicky and with tears in my eyes. I could see myself breaking down in the Sumpner tunnel and getting hit by another car and dying a fiery death. “Uhhh, I don’t know what to tell you babe, except my phone is about to die” was all the comfort Steve could give. After the phone call I contemplated turning the car off then just like that the traffic lifted and I zoomed to the airport in less then five minutes. My knuckles white from holding the wheel I got out and turned the car over to Steve who drove us to a gas station then home where I took a nap and tried to forget about the ride to the airport until next week when I have to do it again.

Next time I’ll make sure there is plenty of gas though.

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