Potentially Stranded

this past weekend i decided to take advantage of the three day weekend and make the two hour drive to visit my family, as well as meet with a couple of potential clients. little did i know this would be a weekend in which i would become potentially stranded.

part 1: my briefcase

about 20 minutes after leaving my apartment i realized i left my briefcase at home. the thought of going back home to get it wasn't very appetizing since it would be nearly 45 minutes before i would get back to the point i had just reached. i new i could print the necessary forms from the web so i decided to keep driving.

part 2: my wallet

i arrive in burkburnett and call my friend daniel to see what he is doing. he tells me he is playing poker at his aunt's house with some family members that where visiting from out of town and invited me over to join them. i headed over there and watch them finish out their poker game. with the prospect of another game i checked my pockets for my wallet, but it wasn't there. i figured i left it in my car and would get it later. while taking a break daniel asked me if i saw his motorcycle in the driveway. after responding with a yes he asked me if i wanted to ride it. i told him i would love to, but i've never ridden a motorcycle before. he told me that was okay because he would be happy to teach me. i thought to myself, "sweet! i get to ride a motorcycle." his aunt lives in a cul-de-sac which kept me from dealing with traffic. never-the-less i was a bit timid. i'd never ridden a 500 lb bike without pedals before. i didn't get to adventurous with the bike. all i did was ride in circles in first gear. i wasn't ready to take a risk with someone else's ride. after riding daniel's bike we went inside to see if anyone wanted to play another game of poker. most everyone didn't want to play so we all simply sat around and talked while dinner cooked in the oven. it just so happened to be hailey's birthday party that day, hailey is daniel's niece and the daughter of my good friend traci. they invited me to stay and celebrate it with them and i was more than happy to stay because on of my favorite foods ever, lasagna, was on the menu.

after eating dinner with daniel and his family i went to pick up my dad to go play pool at a local bar. on the way to the bar i noticed that my wallet wasn't in my car or in my suitcase. i gave my brother a call back at my apartment and asked him to go into my bedroom and look in the front pocket of my briefcase, which i chose not to go back for, for my wallet. he confirmed it was there. my dad was happy to pay for our pool table and drinks, but i was a bit frustrated with the fact that i didn't have my wallet and the banks would be closed monday for the holiday. after leaving the bar i realized that i wouldn't have enough gas to make it back to my apartment because i didn't fill up my car before leaving town. after pointing this out to my dad he told me he would fill up my car for me on the way home.

part 3: my keys

on sunday morning, after breakfast, i walked out to my car to do a little organizing of stuff in the trunk of my car. i folded a couple of towels that i keep in my trunk for the days that i leave my softball games all dirty and sweaty. i moved my tool box back to the back of the trunk, after it apparently had shifted out of place while driving, i grabbed a couple of really cool duck tape bandages that i wanted to show my dad, and took some trash to throw away. right after shutting my trunk i stood their for a moment staring at it with one hand holding two styrofoam cups and a plastic rapper, and the other holding three duck tape bandages. notice i didn't mention my keys. at this point i was in denial.

as started walking back towards the house all the while telling myself, "you did not just lock your keys in your trunk." my dad was washing dishes and watching me the entire time i was out playing in my trunk. after i threw away my trash he asked me if i had found a new way to do laundry because i was folding towels in my trunk. i told him no, and with a smirk on my face i asked him the question, "guess what i did?" his answer, "you didn't." for he knew what i was talking about. i indeed locked my keys in my trunk. at this point i wasn't sure if my car doors where unlocked, but i couldn't remember unlocking them to get into my trunk. i walked outside with my dad close behind me and attempted to open my driver's side door, and then my rear passenger door. both were locked. all i could do was laugh. it was a holiday weekend, i didn't have my wallet or any money, and i'd locked my keys in the trunk of my car. in a sense i was stranded. if it wasn't for my dad i would have been.

my dad called a guy that he knew that owned a wrecker service and 5 hours later he came to unlock my car, and once again my dad was gracious enough to help me and paid the man for his services. the next day daniel called me and asked if i wanted to meet him for lunch at chili's. i told him yes and proceeded to do something for the first time in my life. i walked over to my grandpa sitting in his chair and asked him if i could have $10. all my life my grand parents have given me money every now and again knowing that i could use a little extra help. mostly during those years i was in school, but i'd never asked them for it. now at an age in which i really don't need there assistance i had to asked them for money. this really didn't bother me too much. heck, it was only $10, but i did fine the situation a bit ironic.

now i'm back home and i've already put a check in the mail payable to my dad for all the help he gave me over the weekend. he didn't ask me to send him any money. i know he was happy to be able to be there for me in my time of need and i'm grateful he was, but i feel obligated to pay him back because i'm a grown man and he taught me how to take care of myself. i feel it would be disrespectful for me not to pay him back.