Post by eaccae on Nov 17, 2004 17:40:49 GMT -5
Okay - I should preface this by saying that my gas tank meter is broken and it shows "empty" at 3/4 of a tank.
I was driving my sister to the White Plains airport (45 minutes away) and I was chatting. Well clearly I wasn't paying attention and I passed the exit. I was on "autopilot" and driving subconsciously to the family farm we go to most weekends. Of course I didn't REALIZE this until I was almost half way here - literally over a half hour out of my way - an hour after you count the way back. I have some anxiety going on - not because of her not making the flight . . . but I have to pick dd up at Kindergarten. Okay - we get to the correct exit, I take it and am driving along - we're almost there - jerk, jerk, jerk - oh no, I'm actually out of gas. I had gauged the gas and knew there was enough to get to the airport and back - I figured I would stop on the way home . . . but I did NOT count in the hour's worth of "out of the way" driving . . . and since my gas tank always says "empty" - I just didn't even think about it!!!
I have a momentary burst of clarity and am able to call information to find a taxi service nearby and get my sister on her way. I then call the school to let them know I would be late. (My anxiety is increasing). It is early dismissal for parent conferences and DS knew that I would probably be home 15 minutes after him so I had everything set up for him, the phone, the list of phone numbers for everyone in our family, an apple and his gameboy. I call and he answers. I am explaining that I will be home later because I ran out of gas and he is comtemplating going to the neighbors. The phone is dying. I ask him to put the phone on the charger and go downstairs to the other phone and I will call him right back. I make adhd boy repeat it to me. He does, we hang up, I call back. . . I call back . . . I call back . . . twenty minutes later and no answer and I am in full blown panic mode!!! I knew he was alright but I didn't know if he was at home or if he went to find a neighbor! Of course the next door neighbor's phone is unlisted! And I still hadn't called anyone to help me out because I was frantically trying to find DS. So after twenty minutes I call the CT Police (I was in NY) explain what happened and have them go out. Well - right before the police get there DS FINALLY goes downstairs to sit by the phone and play his gameboy. The police get there and he is fine. He brought out his emergency list of phone numbers and told the policeman he was fine and then they went across the street to the neighbors. In the meantime - I call the police in the town I was in and they came, picked me up, brought me to a gas station, and then brought me to my car. The school calls and someone has volunteered to bring DD home. I finally am on my way, pick up the kids and make it ten minutes late to DS's parent teacher conference!
I was driving my sister to the White Plains airport (45 minutes away) and I was chatting. Well clearly I wasn't paying attention and I passed the exit. I was on "autopilot" and driving subconsciously to the family farm we go to most weekends. Of course I didn't REALIZE this until I was almost half way here - literally over a half hour out of my way - an hour after you count the way back. I have some anxiety going on - not because of her not making the flight . . . but I have to pick dd up at Kindergarten. Okay - we get to the correct exit, I take it and am driving along - we're almost there - jerk, jerk, jerk - oh no, I'm actually out of gas. I had gauged the gas and knew there was enough to get to the airport and back - I figured I would stop on the way home . . . but I did NOT count in the hour's worth of "out of the way" driving . . . and since my gas tank always says "empty" - I just didn't even think about it!!!
I have a momentary burst of clarity and am able to call information to find a taxi service nearby and get my sister on her way. I then call the school to let them know I would be late. (My anxiety is increasing). It is early dismissal for parent conferences and DS knew that I would probably be home 15 minutes after him so I had everything set up for him, the phone, the list of phone numbers for everyone in our family, an apple and his gameboy. I call and he answers. I am explaining that I will be home later because I ran out of gas and he is comtemplating going to the neighbors. The phone is dying. I ask him to put the phone on the charger and go downstairs to the other phone and I will call him right back. I make adhd boy repeat it to me. He does, we hang up, I call back. . . I call back . . . I call back . . . twenty minutes later and no answer and I am in full blown panic mode!!! I knew he was alright but I didn't know if he was at home or if he went to find a neighbor! Of course the next door neighbor's phone is unlisted! And I still hadn't called anyone to help me out because I was frantically trying to find DS. So after twenty minutes I call the CT Police (I was in NY) explain what happened and have them go out. Well - right before the police get there DS FINALLY goes downstairs to sit by the phone and play his gameboy. The police get there and he is fine. He brought out his emergency list of phone numbers and told the policeman he was fine and then they went across the street to the neighbors. In the meantime - I call the police in the town I was in and they came, picked me up, brought me to a gas station, and then brought me to my car. The school calls and someone has volunteered to bring DD home. I finally am on my way, pick up the kids and make it ten minutes late to DS's parent teacher conference!
Dont feel bad at all, you handled it well!!