In order to prevent a sleepy driver, Diane took the kids to the Disney's release, "Inside Out" so that I could nap. I actually napped. I tried to stay organized during the week so that packing wouldn't be very time consuming and I did want to make good time on the road as a lone driver, so I slept.
Kids got back around three, if I remember correctly. Diane had purchased a birthday cake for Aurora, knowing that the majority of her birthday would be spent in the car.
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 Everyone enjoyed the delicious chocolate cake! |
As we crossed into Georgia, about three hours in, Aurora decided to throw up in the back seat. We pulled off at the first exit we came across, which happened to be in Arabi, Georgia. I had to pee so I took my keys and my phone and headed to the bathroom after throwing Ro some napkins and a garbage bag to try to do some initial cleaning.
I hung my keys on the purse thing on the back of the door, with the thought in the back of my mind that I was going to forget them. My phone I put on the toilet paper holder. As my mind was in the car and having a long road still ahead in a vomit smelling vehicle, I hurried up, washed hands and headed back to the van. The other kids had gone to the bathroom as well, Graigry bought a small bright yellow shirt and the lady cashier got on them to not touch the glass of the door as she had just cleaned it. If I had been paying better attention, I would have realized they were getting ready to close (they had to unlock the door for one of the kids to use the bathroom.)
Finally, kids had pottied, the vomit was as cleaned as it was going to get until we got home, and kids had rearranged themselves, leaving Ro in the backseat with her vomit residue. I plopped into the driver seat and was ready to go. Where are the keys?
I looked in what had been my drop spot but they weren't there. I had my purse and my phone and....CRAP! I'd left the keys in the bathroom stall!! I pounded on the locked glass door to no avail. I googled the phone number and called the store. No answer. I decided to call the local police and they sent a sheriff out, who was very friendly. He was willing to take us to the nearest hotel, but the van had opened windows, which I couldn't roll up because we had no keys. I declined the offer, not wanting to leave the van unlocked and unattended. We had plenty of food, but I asked if we could get some water, which he was willing to, and did, fetch for us. They even tried to contact the owners/employees of the place to come an unlock the door, but the employee was already home drinking. Great! There were no hours posted but the officer said they would probably open between nine and ten. Double great!!
Thus there we were: after a good afternoon nap so that I could make it to Tennessee, getting a good stretch of the drive done, we were stuck in Arabi, Georgia. This is a small town I had never heard of before and now will never forget. We resigned ourselves to spending the night in the van and tried to pass the time (a few hours because the kids had all taken naps during our short stretch). Xela and Graigry got a semi empty water bottle and played some soccer in the parking lot.
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| Graigry & Xela in the Arabi, Georgia parking lot; Our temporary night's abode. |
As things got dark, we found an outside outlet. HALLELUJAH!!! Want to watch a movie? I plugged in the laptop and the kids watched Despicable Me 2.
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| Enduring the bugs while sitting on concrete to watch a movie to help the hours pass. |
I did not sleep well (imagine that), up every few hours hoping that it was morning. After about 5:30 I was really in a minute by minute sleep as I hoped with all my heart that there would be an employee show up to open the shop. Every car that pulled in brought with it hope and then as it pulled out, took that hope with it. I can't tell you how many cars came in and left.
Finally, around 7:30, an SUV came in and parked by the front door, but no one got out. Was it an employee? Were they going to open the door?? Please, please!! I waited with anticipation, but no change. Then another white sudan pulled in an parked to the side of the building. Then the passenger in the SUV exited as the driver of the sudan came around the corner, with KEYS IN HER HAND!!
As soon as the door was open, Xela and I headed to the bathroom stall only to find that the stall was void of any hanging keys. My heart sunk and I told Xela to go ask about a lost and found. As I did another look through, she came back with the keys in her hand. WE WERE FREE!!! I thanked the ladies for opening the doors, shared a very brief summary of the night's events, made sure the kids hit the bathroom and then we were out of there like a bat of, well, you know.
I found myself, at one point, going ninety miles an hour. I mentioned to Xela that I probably ought to slow down before an officer found me, although I hoped understanding of my situation would find mercy. Thankfully I didn't haven't to test that hypothesis. That speed was a physical evidence of my anxiousness to get out of Arabi and head home.
We made a brief stop in Eagle Mountain, Tennessee to stretch legs and say hi to cousins. After about an hour, we packed back into the van and headed back to Indianapolis. We got home before dark adn prepared for Sunday and the reality check of Monday. :p
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