The Dead Battery Fiasco

On the way home from dinner and ice cream on Thursday we stopped by Daddy's work to jumpstart his truck so it wouldn't be there overnight. Every now and then the headlights get left on, etc so this has become almost routine. The culprit this time was the air pump used to blow up beach balls and such for a retirement party for Matt's boss. The battery was completely drained even though the car was idling the entire time.

We figured this would only take an extra 10 minutes and we'd be home by 7:00 for a fun end of the day party of cake and presents. As you can guess, it didn't happen this way at all. The battery was really really dead and wouldn't hold a charge. Since we were in a hurry to get home (Henry was getting cranky), Matt didn't idle the truck as long as we should've (the manual told us later). So as I stupidly pulled away in the van with our only pair of jumper cables, Matt's truck stalled and I didn't turn back to see him trying to flag me down. Plus he accidentally left his Blackberry in the van. By the time he walked across the huge parking lot to use the phone at the front desk, I'd just pulled into the driveway at home. Doh!

What seemed like 30 minutes later (prob barely 15) with the evening traffic and a train crossing to boot, we were back jumpstarting the truck again. It took a bit for the engine to turn over and when it did we were off again, this time with me following. : ) We made it through the parking lot and to the stoplight before it stalled again. Matt had just enough juice to back the truck mostly onto the grassy shoulder. After a few more fruitless jumps, Plan B quickly formulated: we need a new battery and we need to get home before the kids completely melt down. I was having vivid flashbacks to similar situations with my beloved 1968 Volvo that I drove in high school. Great car, but terrible electrical problems. It seemed like a "plug in hybrid" at times because I had to charge the battery every night so we could drive it the next morning!!

One of the great things about Beltsville is that most things seem to be "on the way home". Autozone included. We got a new battery and headed home for the party. After getting the kids down some thunder storms rolled in and I felt nervous about Matt changing the battery in a dark parking lot alone and with lightening above. We called our insurance company and learned that we only have roadside assistance on the minivan, so no free towing for the truck.

Since Friday was his flex day anyway we called the security guards and explained the situation, asking them really nicely to not ticket or tow it and promised to be there first thing in the morning.

It ended up not being first thing in the morning because I forgot that I had to do my glucose test first thing (fasting). While that hour past with me at the lab, Matt was able to hopscotch his truck into a real parking space. It was close to 10:00 by the time we'd pulled out the dead battery, installed the new one and were back home again to enjoy the day off. I actually enjoyed getting my fingers greasy with Matt while we unscrewed the terminals. I got to use my Craftsman socket set that's 19 years old now. Funny how engine grease brings back such fond memories for me!

When Matt exchanged the dead battery for the $10 credit, he also picked up a 2nd pair of jumper cables. Took us long enough to figure that one out! Despite all the craziness and that Matt didn't get to take Evalyn fishing with her new pink rod, it was a memorable experience.