Embarrassed to Say....

Sunday afternoon I was already running late to meet a study group on campus. I hopped in Lola (my Toyota Corolla) and noticed the gas gauge was at empty, which is not completely unusual for me. I am very good at knowing how much gas I have and how many miles I can go per tank. Since I was already running late, I opted to stop for gas on my way home from campus. If only I had known that I wouldn’t be leaving campus until after 11PM and that the Kroger I planned on getting gas at closed at ten on Sundays.

After Kroger proved to be a bust, I searched my GPS and luckily there was a station a few miles away. I headed toward 5th, freezing, since I was trying to conserve gas by not turning on the heater - temperature 17°. “You have arrived at your destination” my GPS announces, as I pull in front of a cement-block building with metal bars on the windows and dim fluorescent light flickering from one on corner of the convenience store with no clerk to be seen (scene straight out of a scary movie).  After reading what remained of the tattered, moonlit sign, “ANK Gas” and noticing the two gentlemen (I disturbed with my headlights) glaring at me, I decided that I could definitely wait to get gas.

I zipped out of ANK Gas and Lola stuttered faintly. I guess I turned too quickly and what little gas I did have shifted, but she found her bearings and we made our way down 5th and onto I-71. At a speed of 55 M.P.H. (having heard gas is conserved at that speed) I headed toward our apartment (in Westerville (Exit #121 – Polaris Parkway) which is about 20 minutes north of campus). Not going to lie, at this point I was questioning which was the lesser of two evils:

1. Risk not having enough gas to make it to Polaris Parkway, end up stranded on the side I-71.
2. Randomly exit and attempt to find a station.  Risk being stranded in an unfamiliar neighborhood (probably in front of a cemetery).

Option #1 please!  I passed Exit 111, then Exit 117. Only 4 more exits to go! I went under the 270 loop; 3 miles, 2 miles….POLARIS PARKWAY EXIT! I merged into the right lane and saw Kenyon Square to my right, a feeling of relief.  And then…every light on my dashboard turned red, the gas pedal dropped to the floorboard, and Lola glided to a halt on the edge of I-71, Exit #121.

Seriously? Not even a half-mile from a gas station? Guaranteed, if the exit wasn’t uphill I would have made it and there would be a fairytale ending with Lola gliding into the BP Gas Station. BUT, unfortunately…I had run out of gas and couldn’t push Lola uphill by myself. So, I pulled out my cell phone and called Kyle. Who at first didn’t believe me, then laughed, and then said he was on his way.

 The whole time this was happening, I had my hazard lights on to warn people to slow down or even change lanes (since there are 4). What was the point?  I was alarmed at how many people were not looking as they approached and how fast they were driving by, making Lola shake. Were my hazard lights not working? I got out and checked, they definitely were flashing. After nearly having my side mirror taken off by an eighteen wheeler I called Kyle, terrified, and asked him to please hurry.

After getting a gas can, buying 2 gallons of gas, and going south on I-71 to loop back to the exit I stranded on, Kyle and Jeff showed up with the gasoline. MY HEROES!! Kyle added the 2 gallons to Lola’s tank and they talked about how Lola might not start, hopefully I hadn’t burnt the (fuel injector?) – Or something to that regard. Lucky for me that wasn’t an issue, Lola is a trooper.  She started right up and I pulled back onto Polaris Parkway and drove half a mile to the BP Gas Station where I filled up.

{SIGHS} This was my first time to run out of gas and the last time I will drive with my gas gauge on “Empty”….lesson learned!