Finally, Scott calls me back.

I had given him my home phone not cell phone number, which they kept calling trying to reach me. Finally, Scott realized it was my home phone, found my cell phone number. Unfortunately we realize that the tow truck driver is about 20 or more mile further away than I am, thinking I was at another location. Fortunately, the Moped Store owner is still there and he speaks into my cell and gives great directions.

It is after 6:00 PM when the tow truck arrives, driven by Ray. I climb in, only to discover that we are not heading for JVL, but a licensed car repair, where I will be met. No way will the car be attended to tonight as they are closing. However, Scott is coming to pick me up.

Now I have the laptop I used on the bus up to work on an article and book chapter and some email, some reading material, the clothes on my back, my cell phone and purse. I don't have any way to charge the cell phone or laptop. That's all I have with me. I was supposed to be back home that evening. Plus, I've been using the cell phone to coordinate with my neighbor and pet sitter and alert my family to my whereabouts.

Through all of this I remained pleasant, even making light jokes, while staying focused on getting help and dealing with the situation. I am not rude or nasty or insulting at all. I am trying to walk not fall on my face with God. I am however imploring God to both help me and explain what is going on. I am again flooded with doubts, but I try to pray them away and remember to breathe deeply.

I have a sense that everything will be just fine, but I am busy rethinking the idea of blogging about this adventure. I was also wondering if this was going to be the first time I left bad feedback on eBay. (I have declined to leave feedback on a couple of occasions, but otherwise have left varying degrees of good feedback only.

Scott assures me that they are going to fix the Passport in the morning at no charge to me. He whisks me into his car and asks me where I would like to stay.

Stay?

I have no idea where I am really, and no idea what is available. What I saw of Kingston had made it seem a lot like a quaint small town. I mention I'd be happy to stay with Scott or James I thought Scott is married and knew James is happily married). Clearly for a moment Scott wondered if I was truly weird and propositioning him, which I caught and gently mentioned spare bedrooms as I didn't know anyplace to stay in Kingston (I hadn't seen anything that looked like a hotel).

Scott asked if I would mind being put up at the Marriot as it was new and actually in a large mall complex so I could buy whatever I needed, have restaurants and a food court and so forth.

So, God and James gave me a mini vacation. I couldn't work, I could only relax and enjoy myself. I saw a movie, had dinner out, and found the purple cotton stretch sheets I wanted at my Target, but that they didn't have in full size and, as always, I bought gifts for Anna Sara. Plus, I now and a cell phone charger that plugs into anyvehicle's lighter.

The next day, the Passport had a new thermostat installed.  In the process of the tune up somehow the old one was not flushed. That had caused the problem. James had been so wonderful about the repair and putting me up that I felt that everything was exactly as it should be -- on Plan. Or was that more hoeful thinking on my part?

James LaVolpe and Judy Rey Wasserman, May 2006 in Kingston, NY

Scott was volunteered to take photos of James and I. had photos taken of James La Volpe and I in front of the Passport. James told me the tale of the first car he ever bought as a teenager, and how that dealer had refused to fix the car under a somewhat similar situation. He had been stuck and out of his money. Clearly, that incident had inspired James in the way he does business..Was that incident, so long ago a destined part of the Plan we were walking in now?

Since I belong to AAA, James received a discount from the Marriot. It seems that AAA will reimburse the hotel bill if the layover is due to vehicle repair. So, James gives me the receipt and we decide if it is reimbursed, the money will be donated to one of the charities listed in the check-out process for selection of a donation I then make, whenever a print is whenever someone buys a print through the www.ungravenimage.com website.

James says , "I try to treat people the way he would want to be treated." He credits his mother for giving him a good moral an Catholic up bringing. He even said that even if I had broken down in Long Island he would have towed me back and handled it. Now, that seemed a little extreme.

I was on my way home!  This time I easily found my way to the highway.  I zipped along the spectacular scenic route. It was a wonderful drive until I hit commuter traffic jams in the Bronx and then managed to get myself into the middle and sectioned off lane of the Whitestone Bridge , which is being repaired. I have no idea what they would do if anyone ever broke down there now.

Finally I made it onto the Long Island Expressway and was happy as I passed the exit signs for Syosset, that I would be home in about and hour's time. That would mean I'd be home around 7:30 PM. And then the Passport overheated!

Amazingly, there was suddenly no traffic in my way and I pulled right over to the side of the Long Island Expressway. I watched steam rise from the hood.

GRANTED, I DID THINK OF CALLING JAMES! However, it was long after he had closed for the day and the idea of being towed back to Kingston lacked appeal.  I called AAA and once again had a problem explaining exactly where I was. The tow driver kept asking for the number of the exit I had just passed. Who knew? So people really pay attention to exit numbers when they know exactly where they are going?

I was hoping a cop would stop, so I could find out where I was, but none did. It took a while for the tow truck to find me.  It was after 8:30 PM by the time I made it to the mechanic's in Plainview, which was then closed. Since they are associated with the gas station, I could leave the car to be worked on in the morning.  

The only public transportation that connects near Plainview and goes to Southampton is the Long Island Rail Road from Hicksville.  Unfortunately, it does this via only one train daily. So I had to go into NYC and transfer to one of the few trains running to Southampton. The next train would get me home around 3:00 AM. It was too late to connect to any of the buses that go directly between NYC and the Hamptons. Although my family would have come and fetched me, I would have ended up with them, and I needed to get home, plus it was Friday.

Sitting in train stations waiting for the trains I had a lot of time to think and pray and seek. The nagging questions reappeared. Had I made a mistake buying the Passport? Was I in the Plan or marching merrily along on a path of my own?

Next week, the final installment of "Passport to a Closer Walk", when, maybe, just maybe I see an angel. Find out why I decided to write about this experience and why I left James and JVL great feedback on eBay!

May 31, 2006