A Turn of Events

In my last post I mentioned that old habits die hard. And, boy, do they ever. I had no idea exactly how hard. With a crash, even. Let me clarify…

It all started last week. I departed from Tonto National Monument uncharacteristically early for me on a day off. But I was embarking on a journey down the Apache Trail – an old road between Roosevelt and Apache Junction (a suburb of Phoenix) that was created when the dam was being built in 1906. Today it’s a regular route for tourists, since it winds through the scenic canyons along the Salt River. At work, I get at least 20 questions a day about this road, so I figured I had better check it out for myself. And it was indeed scenic – winding over, under, and around mountains and red rock cliffs, past lakes, through valleys of saguaro. I stopped along the road every couple of miles to take pictures. I ate lunch at the mining town-turned-tourist trap wayside of Tortilla Flat (not the one of Steinbeck fame, unfortunately), and jotted mental notes to write about the swarm of retirees and the prickly pear ice cream (disappointing). But alas, this blog is not the one I had envisioned.

As I ended my early morning on Arizona’s beautiful byway, I was confronted with the hustle and bustle of urbania and opted to conclude my venture and return to Globe. After another two hour drive (which was scenic all its own) I returned to the familiar burg. I made appearances at all my regular haunts – the library, the grocery store, the gas station – and began to make for home, since it was already dark. But my eagerness was a fateful one. As I approached the intersection, the light changed to green, inviting me to hurry on home. However, it failed to warn me of the oncoming car, to which I was supposed to yield … and the rest is history. And so is Fancy Cletus (my Jeep, to those of you who don’t know him).

No one was hurt in the wreck, thank God, but I was quite rattled, angry at myself, and immediately stressed, because I knew I was going to be out of a lot of money, one way or another. Susan picked me up and brought me back to the park, where I was now presented with the dilemma of being stranded 30 miles from anywhere and with no car. And, as I said, sometimes old habits die hard.

My current living situation put an interesting twist on my previous concept of the work/home dichotomy, and I am, oh, so lucky it did. And I am, oh, so lucky my coworkers/neighbors are not elitist hermits like myself. As news of my accident spread, everyone made clear that they would be more than happy to help me out. Since the wreck was my fault, I had to take a defensive driving class, all the way in Fountain Hills (northern Phoenix), which Susan volunteered to shuttle me to and from. Brian talked to his friend at the garage in town so that I wouldn't have to pay storage fees on the jeep, since I had no idea when I would be back. Patrick and Jan let me borrow their internet to furiously research Craigslist for a new vehicle (with extra help from Shawn and my parents), and Patrick drove me all the way to downtown Phoenix when I finally found one. Say hello to Fancy Clementine...

Yes, that is the original color. Purple? Magenta? Plum? I'm not sure what it's called, but I think Fancy Cletus would approve. The point is, if I hadn't been living in the same place that I work - if I hadn't had amazing neighbors, who I also happen to work with - I never would have found her. I am eternally grateful.

Unfortunately, however, Fancy Cletus is definitely a goner. I will miss him. We had some great times, and I was hoping to have more. But c'est la vie. I think Fancy Clementine will bear his torch well. Right now, Brian and Patrick are still helping me out, trying to find someone who might buy Cletus for parts. He was an organ donor. He will live on in other jeeps.

The moral of the story is, appreciate what you've got. Before last week, I never thought about losing my car, but there it went (and a whole lot of money with it). Before last week, I never thought of mixing work and play, but for no particular reason, and I was lucky to find that I work with people better than I. Perhaps now my old habit has breathed its last. Perhaps I will enter new jobs with a different outlook. Anyway, it's definitely changed for the time being, and for the better.