So when looking for airplane tickets we notice that it was much more expensive to fly to Memphis than it was to Nashville. We have family in Nashville so of course we would just fly into Nashville and then drive to Memphis. It was the perfect plan...or so we thought.
We arrive to Nashville late because of a delayed flight, but we were undeterred. Crystal's mom picked us up at the airport and on we go. They were nice enough to let us borrow Brittney's (Crystal's sister) old Honda Accord for the trip to Memphis. So we hit the road on time!
What I am about to admit next will make me look foolish, but I am man enough and humble enough to admit these things in hopes that I can somehow inspire those around me. In planning our route to Memphis I confidently suggest taking I-840 to BYPASS the Nashville traffic. This plan is of course based on my understanding of the definition of BYPASS and assuming that it in fact BYPASSED Nashville, but kept you on track with eventually coming back to I-40. Had I checked the TDOT website and would have found that the final phase of construction for Interstate 840 isn't scheduled to start until 2009. So now I know that when planning a travel route, you should always make sure the interstate you would like to take is finished!
So we make it back to I-40 and we are very late because someone forgot to check to see if the "interstates were connected". It took an hour and a half to get past Nashville, which is normally a 30 min. trip. Not much we can do but drive on and with Crystal at the wheel I felt confident we would make up some ground, so I decided to take a nap. Not my fault, thats just what I do when I am in a car and not driving.
Next thing I know Crystal wakes me up saying that the car was smoking. In a fogging daze I think to myself where am I and what's going on. Once I wake up enough to see the smoke for myself we decide to go ahead and pull over. I pop the hood and I am quickly surrounded by a thick cloud of white smoke. I do my best to look around and see transmission fluid all over the engine and transmission. That can't be good.
So we decide to try and make it to the nearest gas station. Just to let you know, we are still 100 miles from Memphis!! Once we get to the gas station, we popped the hood and 2 guys in a service truck were parked next to us and asked us if we needed help...."uh, ya think I thought." So they graciously checked it out, and after attaching things that for some reason were not attached said that it was good to go. We were so thankful that they had fixed our car that Crystal gave them $40.
So on the road we go, we hadn't gone 5 miles before it stopped working!!! "This stinks, not only are broke down again on the interstate, but we're out $40 bucks." We make it to a rest stop, and all we cared about was getting a rental car. We were at the point we were willing to just leave the car on the side of the road...forever!!
Shortly after we pulled into the rest stop we were approached by Jane and Junior. Who at the moment were pulled over so there little poodle mix dog could use the bathroom. Jane and Junior were in there early 60's, newly retired, and driving there new RV. By the way, Jane also had on a fuzzy pink hat.
They kindly offer to drive us to Jackson TN, which at this point is 30 miles away and 80 miles from Memphis. We made some calls, realized that there was on one rental care place in Jackson,TN and that they closed in 30 minutes. Unfortunately, the Hertz front desk lady made it very clear when we called they she "was not waiting a minute past 6:00pm." So we throw all our stuff in J and J's RV, and tell Junior to step on it, we had 30 minutes to get 30 miles.
Crystal and Jane are sitting in the back with there dog, Junior and I are programing the Hertz address into there GPS and trying to navigate.
I'm on the phone pleading with the Hertz lady to wait just 5 minutes past 6, Crystal is in the back having a nervous breakdown, while listening to Jane's story of how she retired 2 weeks after the stock market plummeted and so on and so on. Because if we don't get the car in Jackson, we're stranded in Jackson until the next morning.
We're 5 minutes away, it's 5 till 6. So Crystal decided to give it a go at the Hertz lady. After fake crying and convincing the lady to stay 3 minutes past 6, we tell junior to step on it. I'm pretty sure we were on 2 wheels with each turn we made. I think Junior was an ex race care driver.
Finally,it's 6 past 6 and we have the Hertz place in view. However we also the the Hertz lady pulling out. Junior guns it and almost T-bones the Hertz lady and blocks her in the driveway!!
We jump out of the car, beg her to give a rental car. After she chews us out, she gives us the most expensive car on the lot. Jane and Junior and Crystal all hug in a joyous celebration.
So we make it to Memphis 4 hours late. We check into the hotel just to change clothes for the rehearsal dinner. Crystal realizes that she has left all her shoes in the broke down car in Jackson.
We make it to the rehearsal dinner just as speaking starts.
Anyways, the wedding was great and we had a wonderful time seeing and catching up with old friends.
Last but not least, we over slept a whole hour and barely made to our flight out of Nashville.
We couldn't have done it w/out Jane and Junior. They were our saving grace.
Sally and Corey Cleek.
Thomas, me, Sally, her new husband Corey, Laurie and her husband DW. We were all roommates 3 years ago, single, and waiting on God's timing to bring our husbands. God is so faithful!!!
Jane and Junior's RV....aka the Speed Monster.
What!!!!! Not quiet sure what this means!!!
I made sure to take their pic outside of the Hertz place. Thomas was in getting chewed out by the Hertz lady as we were outside rejoicing about successfully completing our mission.
Sally looked gorgeous!!!
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