Do you remember when I told you all about getting caught up in Duma Key by Stephen King? Well, today I’m nearing the end of the story and I just can’t wait to finish. But I have so much to do around here that I can’t just stay inside and listen to this story. Ah, I have an idea! I’ll listen to the CD on my car radio. What a thought! So out I go, move my car to the garden where I will be working, and get all my tools and garden equipment. I open the cargo hatch, put in my CD, and crank it up. The story takes me away to another time and place as I rake the leaves and clear the paths. The story continues to hold my interest and I’m not even aware of the time slipping away and the afternoon sun moving across the sky.

     Right in the middle of a very fascinating part, the reader abruptly stops reading. Hmmm… why could that be? I return to the driver’s seat and fuss with the radio. The clock stills shows that time, but when I turn the key… nothing… just a click, click, click. Aha! Battery! What was I thinking? Leave the radio on long enough without the car running and Viola! No battery. Dumb, very dumb. 

     So off I go to get the other car to jump start the truck. I called Richard to whine and complain and ask him if he’ll walk me through a jump. I’ve read about how to it, but I’ve never in my 57 years had to actually do it. RJ reassured me that the battery was probably going anyway since it’s the original battery in my 2002 truck. It didn’t really make me feel any better. I still felt dumb.  Step-by-step, RJ told me how to hook up the cables and charge up my battery. I was so excited that I was able to do it that I cried. He laughed over the phone and to told me I should really make arrangements to get a new battery installed so I don’t get stranded somewhere when I’m out and about. The good news is that by RJ empowering me, I now can take care of myself if something should ever happen with my battery again. And that is a very good feeling.