I is smart

Let me set the stage. Saturday morning I got up and went to the gym around 7:30. I took Todd's car (this is important later). I came back and got ready for the day. Todd and TK were planning a trip to Six Flags that afternoon so while Todd took a nap, I put the boys in the car for a quick trip to McDonald's to get TK some lunch. I actually had a couple of things to do - Home Depot, gas and lunch, but decided to get lunch first since that would keep Tiki occupied. Todd was asleep in the BIG, soft rocker/recliner in the little one's room. It's pretty dark and cool in there. I didn't tell him where we were going or even that we were leaving - we just left with him sound asleep. Our little burg is pretty hilly (for Texas) and McDonald's is down and up a couple of big hills about 2 miles away. On the way up the hill just before the parking lot my truck DIES - uphill. Lights came on, power steering went out and the car was DEAD. I remember sweating and trying to coax the car into the Blockbuster parking lot. It was about 100 degrees outside and after taking a quick inventory and realizing that I left the house with NO STROLLER and NO DIAPER bag I started frantically calling Todd's cell phone as we huffed across the parking lot to McDonald's. No answer, no answer, no answer. I got TK some food and got him all set up on the play ground and proceed to redial Todd's number over and over again - all the while remembering the last time he took a Saturday nap, he slept for 5 hours...

Since he wasn't answering I called my dad, who was at my brother's house and he immediately jumped in his car to come over - even though he was 30-45 minutes away and Todd was one minute away. I think the grandkid pity factor swayed him. Meanwhile, my brother keeps making suggestions of what could be wrong with the truck - "could be your alternator", "did the battery charge indicator go down?", "do you have roadside with your warranty?", "did you hear a noise that sounded like the serpentine belt?" All I could say was "No" and "If it was that, about how much would that cost to fix?"

When I finally hung up with them I think called Todd's phone 34 times. And on the 35th time he cheerfully answered "HEY, perfect timing! Where are you guys? I was just making a quick snack and getting ready to go!" I think I said something like "COME GET ME NOW - I'M AT MCDONALD'S AND THE CAR IS DEAD!". He and my dad arrived at the same time and got my keys, went over the car to check it out and came walking back over just minutes later. I was expecting the worst, trying to think of how to tell TK 'no Six Flags' - we'll have to go tomorrow, etc. And Todd says...

"Um, you ran out of gas."

True story. Seriously, I even amaze myself.