DRINKING ALCOHOL TAUGHT ME HOW TO FLY
THEN IT TOOK AWAY THE SKY

Friday, October 17, 2008

ONE BEAUTIFUL DAY

A friend gave me a foot-long cutting from an Angel Trumpet tree. All I did was stick it in the ground and water it, and talk to it. The odor it emits at night is SO like Jasmine, even more close to honeysuckle. and it covers the neighborhood with its beautiful smells. Angel statue is a reminder of my Guardian angel Flex (flexible).

Do not touch your monitor. This plant is poisonous!

ONE BEAUTIFUL DAY!


When Anna bought her motor scooter (Yamaha Morphous 250cc) she also bought a "Maintenance Agreement" which would over the course of 3 years, save her a few hundred bucks. Salesman said "With this card, you will be pushed always to the front of the line for service." And that HAS been our experience with other bikes, other dealers.


It took an hour to travel to the dealer in Ft Myers, and we figured to have a nice lunch, pick up the bike and head for home. NOT! Service man told us we could have our "vehicle back in 48". I said, "You mean between 4 and 8 PM?" NOT! he meant 'come back in 48 hours'. Well, that's 2 days. If my only means of transportation is my bike, I'm in deep doo-doo.

It's a 39.3 mile walk back to Naples.

OFF-BLOG:

In Marathon terminology, that's THREE "half-marathons" (13.1 miles each half!). I'm really grinning (yeah, right!) over this business of a non-runner--couple days ago--writing a comment implying that running a half marathon is like doing something only halfway. When the BS quits flying, it begins to pile up. I know about these things. -grin- (I used to drive the team pulling the manure spreader!)

BACK ON BLOG:

We tried to obtain a refund of (well, the whole $799) and the manager and owner said "NOT!"


But they finally did take care of us--in a fashion--and I could see some problems among the staff behind the service desk...service???

Here's the part where AA paid off. We had already been there an hour and our paperwork had not even been attempted. I told the manager that he and I were very fortunate. When he asked Why, that was my cue: I told him that 35 years ago, he would have called the police by this time. And I would have been on my way to the Ft Myers jail, and quite a few really beautiful big bikes would have been destroyed.

Because I used to go berserk over matters of this magnitude. And I told him what Alcoholics Anonymous did for me (and today, for him, better believe it!). He smiled. I think we could become friends.

If I am a "meeting-goer", who sits there day after day (enjoying the AA 'show') and simply just doesn't drink, the end of my day would have had a different outcome. But I am a meeting goer AND a "step taker". That has taught me over many years, to ask myself the question, "Just how important Is It?"

And I ask my Higher Power for help. And He does help. And adversity can be turned into a learning experience for all involved.


pissedoff-a-roni?


Lagniappe!
Picked up a nail in MY rear bike tire. "Service Dept. Mgr." said $300 for new tire, plus $70 to install it. Biker Friend, also World Renouned Phtography Expert Jim H. "plugged" it...for FREE! Saved us $370+tax. Thank you friend. Thank You, God!

Please understand that the best part of this event was not the 'saved' $370+tax...but being with a guy I like, if only for 15 minutes. With a really 'cool' guy, yes, a friend. WWW="What a Wonderful World"

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

That story could have rolled off of my blog. I live in the Land of Do Everything Twice (shampoo, rinse, repeat.) That's a nice friend you have there (the tire-plugger.) Glad it all worked out (but it always does, doesn't it?)

J-Online said...

This may be my favorite post of yours ever (not that the other ones arent perfect too). I love what you said to that sales dude. As i was reading it I was getting fired up and thinking what I would have done in that situation. Then you shared that story and I realize I NEED MORE TOOLS.

~Tyra~ said...

Where would we all be without friends like Jim?

Shadow said...

mmmm, services, gas, maintenance thingies... you'd think with all the clever people in this world, they'd think up a car that runs and does everything by itself, heee heee heee.

oh yeah, that Angel Trumpet tree??? we've got one like the one on the picture and a pure white one. but here we call it a Moonflower... maybe because the scent only comes out at night??? just guessing. but i love their perfume.

indistinct said...

It is amazing how we change.


You've been tagged (without obligation) to share on Step One in your blog. I hope that by sharing your hope and experience with others, that we could all be sober for another day. If you want to share, Thank you. If not, that's okay too. And if you want to tag others, that would be cool.

Hank

Unknown said...

I love this post!!! I agree that before people like jim and folks in AA i was at a lost to understand how to be in the social situations, this is such a great reminder!!!!
love
g

Lou said...

It's one zany adventure after another with you, Firestone-O-Roni.

Laura said...

Excellent post STeve-a-roni. And I can smell the fragrance from here!

Akannie said...

Morning, pee-pee-a-roni...

It just really annoys me when things don't go my way.

Bt I'm getting better.

BTW, we call that trumpet flower here, but we also have moonflower...and it grows in a great giant shrub. I got the seeds for it at Pappy's Market. ((Shadow)) Does yours smell sweet? 'cuz ours is almost cloyingly stinky-sweet.

I bow at your feet, o master -a-roni...thank you for teaching me how to act in public.

xoxoxoxox

Zanejabbers said...

I'm surprised they did not escort you to the front of the line. That's what they promised. However, the paperwork was evidently "not covered." Good for you.

steveroni said...

Gosh, thanks everyone, for understanding what *I* thought was a stupid kind of everyday "what happened to me" type of story. But evidently we ALL have those kind of 'everydays' happen, and that's why we share them, to strengthen that bond among us all: what we used to be like...what happened...and what we are like NOW! Love, steveroni.

I like me now!

Wait. What? said...

I love that you qualified a meeting goer and a step taker!!! I want a scooter so badly - but the winters in Chicago would have me footing it to the train so and the winter is so long here!!! Cat

Judith said...

I'm glad you told the guy what the old you would've done. Great story.

Mary Christine said...

Glad you could calculate that in half marathons. It is a long dang way!

Molls said...

I just absolutely love and adore your blog.
steve-a-roni, can you share with me again that quote you posted a couple weeks ago? It was something about searching for God and how we look in books and read and search and God says I'm right here! Know the one I'm talking about? I'd like to share it with my man.

catholicandgop said...

That is a beautiful plant. Great photo.