Yesterday I went to the pier here in Astoria to make a film of the sea lions. I've always wanted to do that. Ever since I got here and discovered that they were there. I went to Safeway, which is where I usually went to take the path to view them, and walked to the pier. I was going to do a walk-talk type video, but it was so cold out, my lips froze and I didn't feel very much like talking. But I did some talking and a lot of walking to get to that pier. But I was COLD!! I never wear a coat! Stubborn I guess. So, I was FREEZING!!! But that video was worth it. Those sea lions were so cool!! I put the video up on YouTube.
Well, I walked back to the van, and I headed back to my apartment. My work there was done, and I was anxious to get home and edit the video and put it up on YouTube. There is a round-about between the city center and my apartment, and while I was on that round-about, I heard a loud hissing sound followed by a series of clanks. My tire had finally deflated! It has been trying to go out for the past month, and it finally did. I was grateful now, but also worried. The nearest place I could stop was this little real estate office near the round-about. The secretary at the real estate office helped me out by looking up numbers for me. First I called the Les Schwab tire center. I figured they could send someone out to get the tire, fix it, inflate it, and I could at least get home, and to the tire center the next day, which was today. Well, I called them and to come out there and get the tire would have costed me $45. So I didn't have that much money on me yesterday so I had to forget it until today, when I would get paid.
I asked the secretary if she knew if the bus goes down to highway 202, which is where my apartment is. She told me I could call the bus station and ask, so she looked up the number and gave it to me and allowed me to use the phone in their office. I got the dial-a-ride, which is actually a new up and coming thing in this town. Well, the operator at the bus station said that the dial a ride does not service my area. I told her flat out "That sucks!! That really SUCKS!!" She apologized. I said "May I make a suggestion that you get buses into that area because we really need it there." She said she will definitely put in a note to have the dial-a-ride service my area. I hope it happens soon!! But at least I gave them my feelings about that.
So the only thing left was to call a taxi. I asked the secretary of the real estate office if she knew which taxi is the least expensive, and she referred me to Royal Cab. So I called them. I asked the secretary if it was OK if I left the van in their parking lot overnight, and I should be back the next day. She said yes it was OK. So I took some things I needed out of the van and as I was finishing up in the van, the cab arrived. The driver was so nice, she adjusted the price to help me out. I had told her about my ordeal and how frustrating everything about it was. I told the driver I may need her services again the next day. So she said for me to give her a call and she would figure something out to help me out.
Well, this morning I did get paid, thank GOD! So I was able to get some tires. I made up my mind that I was just going to get tires for the front of the van. I called the cab company again, and told them I needed a ride from my place to Les Schwab tire dealers. Well apparently the dispatcher misunderstood me and sent the driver to Les Schwab to pick me up, so he went there first and looked for me and did not see me there. Well, I called them back, remembering that I had not given them my full address. So I did that. The driver was happy that I did, because he told me he had been sent by the dispatcher to Les Schwab. He was so nice about it though.
The driver told me about the tire dealers his company uses, he said they could give me a good deal, and asked me if instead I wanted to go there and I said yes. So he took me there and gave me a huge discount. I was so grateful. So far, I'd only spent $10 today. So, let's see what kind of deal the tire place could give me. I went in and spoke to one of the tellers and told him what kind of car I have. He said that to go out there would again cost me $45. He looked up tires they had that would fit my car. He said there were 3 sizes for my car and pretty much all of them are in the same price range, no less than $95, plus installation. So, I was looking already at about $250 at least. That was a LOT of money! And I haven't even paid my rent yet this month! I'm still waiting to hear from Noah. I told the cashiers there what my situation was. I told them I needed to have this done, that I don't have any choice. If I don't have the van, I'm pretty much stuck out here, with no buses or dial-a-ride.
So they disappeared for a while. I was practically in tears sitting there in the waiting room, wondering what in the heck I am going to do. I had prayed to GOD saying that I am putting this in HIS hands, and the manager came back and he said "So my worker tells me that you need 2 tires and you have no money?" I told him I do have money, but that I couldn't pay them $250+ and still pay my rent. So he said "What if I offered you everything, including the service call, tires and installation, for only $150. Do we have a deal?" And I said "Yes!" I couldn't pass that up. My prayer was answered. I've always believed GOD answers our prayers, whether we like HIS answers or not, they are answered. But we cannot ask HIM for a favor and think "If you don't do this for me, I'll not ever believe in you again." Can't have that attitude. And if you ask HIM what is HE doing for starving children, HE won't give you an answer. Simple as that. Something good always comes out of everything that happens.
Well, I walked back to the van, and I headed back to my apartment. My work there was done, and I was anxious to get home and edit the video and put it up on YouTube. There is a round-about between the city center and my apartment, and while I was on that round-about, I heard a loud hissing sound followed by a series of clanks. My tire had finally deflated! It has been trying to go out for the past month, and it finally did. I was grateful now, but also worried. The nearest place I could stop was this little real estate office near the round-about. The secretary at the real estate office helped me out by looking up numbers for me. First I called the Les Schwab tire center. I figured they could send someone out to get the tire, fix it, inflate it, and I could at least get home, and to the tire center the next day, which was today. Well, I called them and to come out there and get the tire would have costed me $45. So I didn't have that much money on me yesterday so I had to forget it until today, when I would get paid.
I asked the secretary if she knew if the bus goes down to highway 202, which is where my apartment is. She told me I could call the bus station and ask, so she looked up the number and gave it to me and allowed me to use the phone in their office. I got the dial-a-ride, which is actually a new up and coming thing in this town. Well, the operator at the bus station said that the dial a ride does not service my area. I told her flat out "That sucks!! That really SUCKS!!" She apologized. I said "May I make a suggestion that you get buses into that area because we really need it there." She said she will definitely put in a note to have the dial-a-ride service my area. I hope it happens soon!! But at least I gave them my feelings about that.
So the only thing left was to call a taxi. I asked the secretary of the real estate office if she knew which taxi is the least expensive, and she referred me to Royal Cab. So I called them. I asked the secretary if it was OK if I left the van in their parking lot overnight, and I should be back the next day. She said yes it was OK. So I took some things I needed out of the van and as I was finishing up in the van, the cab arrived. The driver was so nice, she adjusted the price to help me out. I had told her about my ordeal and how frustrating everything about it was. I told the driver I may need her services again the next day. So she said for me to give her a call and she would figure something out to help me out.
Well, this morning I did get paid, thank GOD! So I was able to get some tires. I made up my mind that I was just going to get tires for the front of the van. I called the cab company again, and told them I needed a ride from my place to Les Schwab tire dealers. Well apparently the dispatcher misunderstood me and sent the driver to Les Schwab to pick me up, so he went there first and looked for me and did not see me there. Well, I called them back, remembering that I had not given them my full address. So I did that. The driver was happy that I did, because he told me he had been sent by the dispatcher to Les Schwab. He was so nice about it though.
The driver told me about the tire dealers his company uses, he said they could give me a good deal, and asked me if instead I wanted to go there and I said yes. So he took me there and gave me a huge discount. I was so grateful. So far, I'd only spent $10 today. So, let's see what kind of deal the tire place could give me. I went in and spoke to one of the tellers and told him what kind of car I have. He said that to go out there would again cost me $45. He looked up tires they had that would fit my car. He said there were 3 sizes for my car and pretty much all of them are in the same price range, no less than $95, plus installation. So, I was looking already at about $250 at least. That was a LOT of money! And I haven't even paid my rent yet this month! I'm still waiting to hear from Noah. I told the cashiers there what my situation was. I told them I needed to have this done, that I don't have any choice. If I don't have the van, I'm pretty much stuck out here, with no buses or dial-a-ride.
So they disappeared for a while. I was practically in tears sitting there in the waiting room, wondering what in the heck I am going to do. I had prayed to GOD saying that I am putting this in HIS hands, and the manager came back and he said "So my worker tells me that you need 2 tires and you have no money?" I told him I do have money, but that I couldn't pay them $250+ and still pay my rent. So he said "What if I offered you everything, including the service call, tires and installation, for only $150. Do we have a deal?" And I said "Yes!" I couldn't pass that up. My prayer was answered. I've always believed GOD answers our prayers, whether we like HIS answers or not, they are answered. But we cannot ask HIM for a favor and think "If you don't do this for me, I'll not ever believe in you again." Can't have that attitude. And if you ask HIM what is HE doing for starving children, HE won't give you an answer. Simple as that. Something good always comes out of everything that happens.
No comments:
Post a Comment