Taking on my new role

I was just reading about Robin's husband, Michael, being deployed again http://journals.aol.com/robinngabster/TheYellowBrickRoad/ and it jogged an old memory. 

I married right out of college and my young husband and I grew into our roles as husband and wife, taking on much the same responsibilities we had seen our parents take.  We were both from traditional families and the dads did the yard and the cars and the moms handled the household duties.  Of course, we also shared many of the chores in order to keep things running smoothly.  There were many things that I took for granted because I just never had to worry about them.

We eventually developed a routine that Saturday morning Hubby was up and at 'em early while the kids and I slept in a little later.  He would take my car, do whatever maintenance was necessary that week and fill it up with gas.  Often he would pick up breakfast or donuts on his way back home and the kids and I would be ready for the day's events.  Good times!

Fast forward 15 years. Imagine my surprise to learn that the car was not the only thing being maintained on Saturday morning.  I was hardly prepared for being a single mom  but that was the hand I was dealt so I learned to manage. Talk about your shock and awe! I hardly knew what hit me.  

I could sew, cook, entertain and manage a budget on a shoestring but I was absolutely clueless when it came to the car. I did not know a registration from an inspection. I had hardly ever had to pump my own gas at that point.  It has now been another 16 years and I can laugh about it today but at the time there was nothing funny about it.  My dad had handled guy things when I was growing up and then my husband took that lead. Why would I even want to deprive him of that manly opportunity?

I know!  I know! Feminists every where are gnashing their teeth and passing judgement on my way of life.  Well, don't you worry.  I got mine!  BIG time.

Someone had to have pointed out my expired inspection sticker because I stopped at a garage to get one. (Maybe it was my 12 year old son who had noticed.  He was a guy-in-training.)  I timidly approached the man in the jumpsuit and told him what I needed.  He then asked me for my proof of insurance.  WHAT?  No one told me I had to have anything with me but my checkbook! Oh, NO!  My mind was a blank. I burst into tears much to the shock and dismay of the mechanic.

I apologized and my words and tears tumbled out.  "I'm sorry.  I don't know what I am doing. I just got divorced and my husband always took care of these things and no one told me about insurance and I have no idea where it is or if I have it.  I'm just so sorry.  I don't mean to be crying I just don't know what I am doing. Where do I go now for the insurance?"  Big gulp of air here.

The guy behind the counter looked at the floor, probably for a trap door that would open up and allow him to escape the maniacal woman who stood before him. He then said he was not sure about my insurance but sometimes people kept it in the glove box. My mind cleared and I remembered.  Of course.  We had always kept a copy of our insurance there in the event we were in an accident or got stopped for speeding. In my panic I did not even remember that I had insurance.

I went out to the car and looked.  Sure enough I found the required paperwork. I stopped sniffling and decided that maybe I did not need the car inspected that day after all.  I put on my sunglasses and pulled away casually.

When I eventually did get my car inspected it was at a different location and I was prepared and confident.

Tags: divorced, inspections, insurance, car