2009-06-21 Driving on Empty

Today is Father’s Day and there was a carry-in dinner at the church. I got a good recipe for Cream Cheese/Cool Whip Pie with fresh Strawberries. Yum! Yum!

After I returned home I decided to drive some back roads with the pick-up and photograph any old barns I might encounter. I changed into a blouse & slacks and drove East out of town. My plan was to drive parallel to 54 Hwy to Nevada, Mo and buy gas once I got there. Soon, however, I came to a T in the road and since I didn’t want to drive on the paved highway, I chose to take the road away from the highway. It was a while before I was able to turn in the right direction. After a bit, I had to make another turn. I was in unfamiliar territory, but I felt I was traveling in the right direction. How I wished for a map. At least I was on a paved road which indicated it was “K” highway, but I wondered if indeed I was going in the right direction. Why, I could be traveling South toward Pittsburg, but there was no indicator where I was, except for the sign that proclaimed “K”.

The engine sounded a warning ping, letting me know it was low on gas. “Oh dear!” If I ran out of gas, I guess I could call 911 on my cell if need be. I had just gotten a new phone and did not have the numbers I needed stored in it. I sure felt foolish at the position I had let myself get into. I resolved to not tell anyone of this situation. I could stop at a farm house and ask for help, but most places looked as though the residents were gone. I couldn’t help but think of the weird circumstances I would encounter if I chose the wrong place. Then, I determined that if someone was mowing their yard, weeding the garden or whatever…I would stop and ask them without getting out of my vehicle, but I saw no one!

I turned off this main road thinking I had gone far enough and I wasn’t headed East after all. I only knew I needed to get to a town soon. I carefully watched the gas gauge as it crept ever closer to the empty mark. After a couple of miles, I found myself at a highway. It turned out to be the highway I needed. I breathed a prayer of relief and am so glad the God watched over me.