Keep Plugging Along

Have you ever had one of those days where everything seems to be going along as normal, and then things just slowly seem to slip away from you and turn to crap? Yesterday was like that for me. Everything at work was normal, almost exciting considering that we had a claims review in Keystone. It breaks up the monotony of doing nothing. Back in Vail and there were a few hours of the work day left so I took care of a few more loose ends (aka played on the internet). Leave work and it's completely overcast. No big deal because I didn't have any plans outside, but I do prefer the sun after sitting inside all day. Get to my car, turn the key, it barely turns over and then stops. There wasn't any sign before this of my battery dying, like starting slowly or dim lights. Plus I had just bought this battery 4 or 5 months ago. I take a breath, turn the key again and... great success! My plan was to go by City Market for some groceries on the way home, so I was hoping my alternator would charge the battery enough for me to start it again after shopping. After picking out the fresh veggies and fruit I needed, I go to the deli and none of the meat or cheese is out. Crap again. Undeterred, I walk over to the ready-made part of the deli to ask if the deli meat section is closed.

"No, the cooler is just down, we have the meat in the back. Be with you in a sec."

Cool. Walk over to where the meat usually is to wait my turn. Another employee walks out of the back. Some dude who helped me before. He's super pushy and rude. Comes up and says sternly "Who's next!?" Some other dude who had walked up raises his hand, as do I.

Employee: "So WHO IS NEXT!?"

I pause to see if the other guy recognizes that I was already there, and he just glares at me instead. Screw it, I think. "I was waiting here already," I say. Disgruntled employee stomps over to take my order.

I get the rest of my groceries, but now I am in an even worse mood. I really don't like confrontational situations. Back to my car. "Please start." Key turns... barely turns over and dies. Deep calming breath. Turn the key again. Slight rumble and then VROOOM. Wow, that was lucky.

I knew the mechanic by my place closes at 5, so I will have to go by in the morning to have them check out the battery. No biggie. I can jump it in the morning with my roommates car.

This is where things start to get better.

This morning comes and I jump my car. Up to the mechanic. He checks it out to see if it's the battery or alternator and tells me it's the battery. Exactly what I thought. If it was the alternator, it would have died shortly after being jumped. But they don't sell Interstate batteries (which I have and is covered under warranty). He directs me to CarQuest since they have Interstate batteries in stock.

Drive down there and they check to see if the battery failure is actually covered by the warranty. It comes up as a dead cell, which is covered. Nice. But they don't have my battery and the next closest one is an up-sell. How convenient for them. It's only $10. No biggie. And while I'm here, I need to get a replacement brake light. Another $4. Easy. Replace the battery and light and I'm good as new!

I guess the moral to the story is this: Even though my day was turning to crap, I tried to keep going and let it roll off my back. You never know what is waiting around the corner. For me, it was a better day.