The Trip Home

I always know that our trip home from Florida will resemble the Griswald Family Vacation but I eventually have to come home. This trip home was up to par of the one when I was dying from bronchitis in January. First, we had to medicate Midnight, get him in his pet carrier and into the car.  Next, we picked up Mary because she wanted to ride home with us. This will probably be the last time she asked to ride home with us.  So we are all in the car and all seems fine until Mary says "Does Midnight's medication give him gas?" OK, Midnight's gas was  survivable until the AC broke in Georgia. At this point, I medicated myself.  Mary suggested that we call Cassie and Justin so they could use their phones to find someplace that could work on the AC. Cassie gave us a place and directions so we took the exit. This plan would have worked but Rob forget to check the mileage so we couldn't find the place. At that point I suggested that we turn around and go to Walmart but before we could get to Walmart we found a Firestone Auto Total Care Clinic.  Rob walked in and they said an hour and 1/2, maybe more. It was 100 plus degrees in the shade and Midnight was still farting so inside we go. One cat in carrier, my purse full of my prescription drugs, Mary, her purse, our books, and phones, inside we are greeted by a waiting room which consisted of a rapper, a retired jerk reading a book. a nice oriental gentleman with bad knees, an everyday guy and some senior citizen form Connecticut that liked to gamble. Only the gentleman with bad knees offered us a seat so Mary and I stood. The only plus was there was a Wendy's next door so we took turns going there and seating in the AC and eating until the car was done. I think the mechanics felt sorry for the folks from WV with the farting cat so they got us out of there in less than hour.  Back on the rode, our first call was from Justin, who loves to spread the Christmas cheer in July with "We are going 5 miles per hour in South Carolina in a traffic jam." "GREAT!!!!!"  At least we had snacks. South Carolina and on to the rain storms in North Carolina. When it is 100 degrees you can't leave the cat in the car so we take turns going to the bathroom. Rob's first gas/ bathroom stop the restrooms had no toilet paper.  Thank God Mary and saved a napkin from Wendy's.  She split it with me. Rob's further choices were not better. Somewhere around Virginia we stopped for food and the only place clean enough to even think about getting food was McDonald's. I got a fish sandwich. 17 and 1/2 hours later we dumped Mary at the Goshen Road exit. We didn't just leave her.  Brad was there to pick her up. Onward home to Preston County and a flooded bathroom and laundry room. All I can say is Midnight has finally quit farting.