Jesus, give me a ‘brake’

By JANET HART LEONARD

From the Hart

You are probably familiar with Carrie Underwood singing, “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” but on Sunday, I was praying for Jesus to give me brakes.

Just when I think my traveling troubles are over … here comes another one.

As I head to St. Pete Beach with three of my besties, whom I refer to as the Golden Girls, I put my foot on my brakes to slow down. I’m in six lanes of traffic on 275 South, just passing the exit to the Tampa airport. Traffic is heavy. Speeds are ranging from 65 mph to standing still.

Lots of braking … except my brakes are not cooperating. My right leg is getting quite the workout as I press my brakes towards the floor. I’m reminded of the brakes on my ‘65 Mustang that I drove after getting my license when I was 16. No power brakes.

I put on my best calm and in control face as I grip the steering wheel and pray … Jesus, please give me brakes! The panic I feel inside is hidden from my three friends, Patrice, Linda and Joan. Inside, I’m having a “come apart.” I can’t begin to describe the fear I feel.

We are less than an hour from the beach, but it seems like an eternity as we make our way there. I stay back from the cars in front of me only to have cars cut in front of me, increasing my anxiety to the max degree.

Please, Lord, keep me calm and let me get my friends safely to the beach. PLEASE.

We make it to St. Pete Beach. As I park the car at the hotel, I thank the good Lord for his protection and for providing the brakes I needed.

Our room isn’t ready, so we head to lunch. The Golden Girls still have no idea about the ride they had been on. As we wait for our lunch, I keep my phone in my lap and scroll through the list of nearby mechanics.

Scroll. Scroll. Scroll.

Mobile Mechanic. WHAT? “We come to your business, home or wherever you are.” Hallelujah! I excuse myself to go to the bathroom. I did go so I didn’t lie to them. I make a call and immediately a man answers his phone. Now you must understand this was 3:00 SUNDAY afternoon and I am stranded at a hotel on the beach. (I know there are worse places to be stranded.) He will be there within the hour.

I return to my friends and put back on my “in control” face. I choke down a few bites and place my napkin on top of the large part of my lunch I left untouched. My frazzled nerves would not allow me to eat.

We take our luggage to our room, and I get the text message the mechanic and his assistant have arrived. I excuse myself to return to my car as I had “left” something in it.

After checking the brake fluid, the mechanic turned to me and said, “Lady, you are so lucky to have made it here as you have NO brake fluid. Somewhere on Interstate 275, you lost all of it.”

If you Google what the brake fluid does, you will see how dangerous it is to drive a car without it. I had driven at least 25 miles without adequate brakes.

Believe what you want, but I know that Jesus did give me a brake.

I return to the room and confess to my girlfriends what happened. They said they knew something was going on as I had gotten very quiet. They said my quietness told on me. They also noticed I had backed off following my usual closeness to the cars in front of me. They know me too well.

The mechanic orders the part and says the issue should be fixed by the time we needed to leave in two days.

Fast forward two days and while the mechanic is working on my car, I get a text. “Do you have a minute?” I know that it will not be a good minute.

Seems the repair is more extensive than they thought. The part would not be in for at least a week. I need to have the car towed. I call Chuck. He told me to call AAA. The dispatcher informs me that I am not on his account and that AAA would not be able to help me. I am now at the crispy edge of my nerves.

The mechanic and his assistant were unaware they were my guardian angels. They got the car moved and calmed this lady who had a partial “come apart.” Chuck said he knew I was upset as I spoke in short sentences. I guess he also knows me well.

I knew the Golden Girls were feeling bad for me. I assure them that I am okay as long as we are safe.

We call a Lyft and head back to our house. It has been quite the adventure and #4 on my ‘Misadventures of Janet.” I am hoping this is the last of my traveling disasters.

Chuck has decided we are going car shopping and I am now on his AAA account. May the 2007 Focus RIP. It served the Leonard family well for almost 200,000 miles. I will never again take good brakes for granted.

Janet Hart Leonard can be contacted at janethartleonard@gmail.com or followed on Facebook or Instagram (@janethartleonard). Visit janethartleonard.com.