God, send me some gas – quick.
Divine providence of the dumb enjoying luck? You decide.
I do not have to get gas very often. I don’t like to get gas and dwell on the cost of it and whether or not I use it wisely. I don’t like to freeze getting out of my car to pump it. So I tend to drive as far as possible before I get more gas. I guess I must also admit that there is some inexplicable thrill from riding in a car that might run out of gas. It is a really stupid philosophy as was very directly pointed out on a couple of situations.
On one occasion, I was taking a late drive from Winona to Minneapolis. I don’t recall the circumstances other than I know I was getting low on gas, I know it was bitterly cold, and I know I was mostly in the middle of no where. So I decide at nearly midnight I should get some gas. The person with me figured out the situation and asked why I didn’t get some earlier and not risk freezing to death on a deserted highway? I didn’t really have an answer but do recall how I had to bang on the glass to get the gas station to turn on the pumps.
There was a similar scenario that was equally stupid and I guess I don’t need to tell the story and, once again, there is no good reason why I chose to wait to get gas. I guess the lack of reason is the thing I am trying to come to grips with.
On Tuesday I have class in downtown Minneapolis. My beeper and low fuel light went off right as I took off. I didn’t have time to get gas and was too tired to get it on the way back.
Yesterday I left for my long, four-block trip to work with my car and I figured I would go out during the day and get some gas. I got out of the parking lot and onto the main drag and my car dies. I figure the problem might have been created because the car was on a incline and also figure if I can get a little head of steam I can coast back into the parking lot. All of these decisions were very bad. I end up with my car stuck in an intersection just as school is about to let out. VERY NICE. ABSOLUTELY SWEET. ATTA BOY.
So the second car by is a guy that used to work at the church and he asks me what the situation is, I tell him. He drives as fast as he can to get gas for me, returns as fast as he can, and so I end up being stuck for maybe four minutes. I didn’t have to walk miles to get gas, I didn’t have to push my car anywhere. It ended up being pretty painless. In fact, the last time I ran out of gas (at least 10 years ago), I think about the same thing happened. Someone picked me up took me to the gas station and took me back to my car.
So am I lucky despite being stupid. Is it some strategic plan by demonic forces that will ultimately haunt me when I run out of gas and die? Is it God watching out for me despite being stupid? Does God look after stupid people who don’t know when to buy gas?
I probably won’t change my ways. I will still drive the car until it’s teetering on empty and now that I know pretty accurately how far I can drive after my light comes on until the car dies so I can really push it to the limit.
Tags: running out of gas, stranded, stupidity
