Ode to the Green Bean

The Green Bean...

The name of my new little subaru

He truly is amazing, even though his little body is worn and beat up.

His great AWD, boxy frame, dents and dings

When I got behind the wheel, the green bean and I....we connected. It was magic.

I knew this car was mine.

I took him to two mechanics and both said...minor problems, strong engine.

The green bean worked well for 3 weeks....

Last night in -5 degree weather, the green bean and I depart for the salt lake city airport to pick up Jenni. We arrive at the airport a little early so we lap around the airport a couple of times to ward off the adament traffic controllers...who allow no idling vehicles. DRIVE ON, they yell. And so we drive on....around and around the airport

Alas, we see Jenni on the curb...

50 yards, 40 yards, 30 yards...and then...

VROOM, vroom, vroom VROOM, vroom, vroom

I look

The RPMs are dropping. I can't keep any juice.

VROOm, vroom, vroom. And then.

Silence.

I turn the key

CLINK, CLINK, CLINK, CLINK

Silence.

Dead car.

And 20 yards away.....Jenni laughing hysterically....

As the traffic controller yells DRIVE ON!

But I cant, the green bean! He's dead!

The 25 somethin year old female traffic controller quickly yells for me to put the green bean in neutral, and now she is pushing my car!

We make it to the curb

I'm laughing. Jenni's laughing.

The green bean. Oh the poor green bean.

But have no fear!

A truck comes to give us a jump!

But still no juice.

So we call for a tow truck...

Mr. tow trucker picks up the poor little green bean and drives us to downtown SLC.

The big city must have been quite the shocker for that lil bean!

Because...lo and behold....as Mr. tow trucker tries one last time to turn the ignition

The bean ignites!! He's back!

Our friend Glauser volunteers to follow Jenni, me, and the bean.

We jump back on the freeway

RPMs holding a steady 3000.

5 miles go by, and we pull up next to friend Glauser.

We give him the thumbs up!

Glauser takes the next exit

We journey on

Jenni and I are deep in conversation in Pleasant Grove

I hit the gas pedal. Nothing. I hit it again. Still no acceleration!

I look at the RPMs

Within seconds

4000, 3000, 2000

No juice!

We're on I-15!

There are no shoulders to be seen on the freeway because of construction

I say a silent prayer....come on bean!!

And then...there it is!

A construction turn off, I pull off.

Silence.

I try the key

CLINK, CLINK, CLINK

Silence.

Jenni and I assess our resources

I've got frozen meatballs from home

Jenni has sugar candy, frozen peas, sugar cookies, and spaghetti sauce from home.

No water.

No heat.

We call for tow truck #2.

The -5 degree winter is seeping through the windows

Suddenly, yellow lights are flashing in my rear view mirror. A construction vehicle pulls up

An 18 +/- year old boy with braces is in the truck.

We ask to jump into the truck for heat.

In the truck, we chat about his solitary night job working on broken down construction machines.

Another construction guy in his truck pulls up. Boy tells us that this guy is a 'goober'. He was seen one night in his truck playing cards with dragons on them.

Yep, adequate definition of goober.

Meanwhile, bean is in the cold

But finally, Mr. tow trucker #2 pulls up!

He loads the green bean and we jump into his truck

First thing we smell

Strong rubbing alcohol and pot, unfamiliar territory

I'm in fight or flight!

Crank the windows my mind shouts to my fingers!

I find the window

Visions of Ted Bundy

My imagination runs wild

Why is Jenni talking so nice to this man?

My ER training has kicked in...

Skepticism

Jenni continues into a pleasant conversation

Mr. tow trucker #2 begins to tell Jenni about his twin daughters and his side life as a guitarist of the local 'Autumn Eclipse'

I ease up, realize my misjudgment, laugh inside my head

Jenni rocks!

We make it to Provo

Safe! After a thousand prayers

The poor green bean slides lifeless off the tow truck bed

He rolls into a parking spot at American Car Care Center.

Just another car he appears

But not to me

He is still the invincible Green BEAN!

And a little fuel pump repair never hurt any car:)