Haven't we left Kansas yet, Toto?

Day 10 August 25, 2011... Ahhhh, the wonders of the drama of life unfolding.  At first the theme for today was hurry up and wait but a deeper theme emerged over time.

We awoke to a Kansas sunrise in Salina

So far so good.   We left the Marriot Courtyard about 8am but after 10 minutes we returned to pick up some items we left behind in our rush to get away early.  Hmm, not an auspicious beginning.  Another ten minutes  later our yellow bumblebee began to miss so badly we had to stop by the side of I70. We checked it over, got in the car, restarted it and NOTHING happened!!! It would not start at all.

Charlie called AAA, who said they would call a tow truck but would give no indication of time.  He thought he could do that too, so hung up, searched the net on his iPhone for tow companies and about 20 came up.  He picked one to call and asked if they dealt with AAA.  Her response: Hello Mr. Kouns, we are on the way to pick you up now. The driver should be there very soon!"  Of all the towing companies, he had dialed the one that was coming to get them! Not 15 minutes later there was a AAA tow truck and we were on our way - back to Salina!!

All's well that ends well.  It was a very interesting experience that lasted until about 2pm.    First, we gave thanks that we were not miles in the middle of nowhere.   Charlie noted that he "felt" we should go to the dealership but did not "listen" -- yet another of life's teaching moments to trust our intuition.   But it gets better.   First the Nissan dealership was close and the people very friendly and helpful and as we discovered very good and efficient and fair.
We sat for a couple of hours waiting - which on the face of it seems very dull - a Nissan dealership waiting room in Salina KS.  Yet it gave us a couple of hours of reflection time, down time without needing to "get somewhere".   We felt refreshed and settled by the time they came with the diagnosis.  What came to us was the fact that we were trying to rush through the "dull" lands of the prairies - and felt somewhat pressured and anxious to "see as much as possible" without really being aware of it. Another reminder that richness in the moment is within - not without.   

We were glad to hear that it was the distributor cap - not the driveshaft or the transmission which were all possibilities at one or another stage.   So after a lunch at the local IHOP we got to in a Nissam courtesy car -- we were finally and happily on our way.