we woke up friday morning all kinds of stressed:

would the radiator arrive?
would they get it installed today?
how much is it going to cost?

all things running through our head, and making it impossible to focus on anything else.

we left the hotel at 11 (after the kind lady at the front desk did our laundry because the public washer and drier were both on the fritz.

she folded it too.
amazing.

so, we checked out at 11 and walked carrying all of our things, the short walk through two parking lots to the McDonalds, got ourselves some coffee and some free wifi, and sat down for the long wait.

I occupied myself with trying to figure out how to supplement our income on the road….loaded up my photos to blue melon.com in hopes of selling some, did some jeannieknits social media, generally just pissed around on my computer to keep my mind occupied.

we decided, after not hearing from our buddy Randy at M&M Wrecking, we should give him a call;

“the radiator isn’t here yet.” Randy informed me immediately.

“do you have any idea when it’s coming…I mean, it’s today right?”
“yeah, today or tomorrow”
“no, Randy, it has to be today. you have no idea….”
“ok, ok, yeah…it’s coming on a truck from dallas to el paso and they’re supposed to stop here….maybe I should call Napa and see if it’s in.”
“yeah, could you do that please? and give me a call back”

*more anxious waiting*

*phone rings*

“hey it’s Randy, from —“
“yes, randy, what did you find out?”
“the radiator is here, but…did you guys pay for it yet?”
*what?*
“no, we didn’t pay for it….why?
“well, since our boss is in the hospital they froze his accounts and we need cash to pay for the radiator. you need to come pay for it at Napa..”
not shady at. all.
“seriously? ok, well can you come get us and take us there?
“that’s just what I was fixin’ to do, m’am.”

good ole texas.

a few minutes later, up rolls the tow truck and in we hop with all our our gear…and off to buy our radiator.

after installation, randy came over to me (I had been reorganizing the car and generally just keeping an eye on these two mechanics in charge of our literal survival)

“we need antifreeze”
“ok…?”
“so, you gonna come with me or should I ask the other guy?”

OH…we need to go buy the antifreeze now.
seriously. what the hell.

off to Napa, back to the shop.
when they were all finished, and everything was running as it should be, the “foreman”, a mexican named SoSo, told us the amount and then informed us that his credit card machine wasn’t working.

“drive them to ATM” he motioned to Randy. “get cash out.”

are you fucking kidding me??

back in tow truck, off to ATM, cash in hand…

“can we get a receipt?”

hahaha sure.

finally on the road out of Texas, the Welcome to New Mexico sign was the best thing we’d seen in a week. we always make an effort to stop at the information center, because there’s lots of free goodies there, and usually the people there are super helpful; New Mexico’s visitor center was adorable and like a mini museum. we set to work, grabbing pamphlets for what we thought we’d like to see, free magazines, etc. the gentleman behind the counter asked us to sign the visitor book, and as xander was signing it he noticed the name above us was from Toledo, Ohio.

“Toledo! what are the odds?!”

we hadn’t even noticed the older woman, in a baseball cap, gathering up pamphlets and maps in the tiny visitor center room with us.

“You two again!” came a voice from under the hat, and we realized immediately who it was.

Diane. We had met Diane in the Del Rio Campground (other side of texas) almost two weeks ago. and yet, here, in this remote information center, there she was.

after what must have been a very entertaining and conversation for the two people behind the counter, we got ourselves all caught up (filled her in on our car mishap) she said to us,

“well, I’m headed to dinner in Las Cruces. how about you guys join me, my treat.”

I practically burst into tears. we are so depleted, both psychologically and financially, after the terrible week in Van Horn. this was a huge gift.

we ate at an authentic mexican restaurant, recommended by the lovely workers at the visitor’s center, and caught up on everything we all had seen and done since our last visit.

Diane is retired, and traveling on her own in a van. She’s determined to see all, or as many of the National Parks that she can. She tells wonderful stories, and in my opinion, is one brave woman.

when we were parting ways in the parking lot, we each gave Diane a big hug, and after exchanging phone numbers, she yelled to us,

“next time you have car trouble, don’t hesitate to call me!”

like our own traveling guardian angel, right there.

:)

 

 

All images © 2013-2019 Jeannie M. Starks / two daisies life