As I was walking out of my house to go to work looking like a pack ox with my laptop, handbag and gym bag in hand, I noticed a blue soccer mom style car stranded in the parking lot, bonnet open with jumper cables attached to nothing but said car. I'm no mechanic, but I am pretty sure you need to attach those cables to something.
I have been in this situation before: dead battery and stranded. You feel like a complete idiot yet you desperately want help. I could empathize with this lady and before I could offer my good Samaritan services, she yelled "Get your car. I need someone to help me". Taken aback by this brashness, I replied that I was on my way to my car and would bring it over.
I drove my car to where the car was stranded but before I could park next it, the soccer mom was waving her hands in the air directing me. I pulled up next to her and she looked at me as if to say "Well, what are you waiting for?" I remained seated and she eventually opened my bonnet and tried to connect the jumper cables. "It's too far! You need to move your car closer." At this stage Junior appeared and decided to locate himself between the two cars. I carefully backed out and pulled in closer while trying to avoid crushing Junior.
Soccer Mom connected the jumper cables, but not before Junior offered his services at least five times. "Let me try Mom. I can do it Mom. I'm strong Mom." She then stormed off, got into her car and started it. I sat there speechless. "What are you waiting for?" she mouthed through the window. I started my car and nothing. Her battery was flat.
At this moment, another complex dweller was heading on his way to work. He came over and offered some help. He told me to keep my car at above 4 revs, and so we tried again. Nothing. The kind man then told Soccer Mom that we could swop the batteries and that he would get his tools. "You tell her!" yelled Soccer Mom in a non discreet whisper. "Uh, no" replied Kind Man quietly. Kind Man went off to fetch his tools.
By this stage I was sure I was going to be late for work. Soccer Mom stormed on over and asked "Are you going to be late for work?" "Yes", I replied to which she replied "Well I'm also late. I was supposed to drop him off at school at 7.30 and be at work at 8.00. So you're not the only one. We also need to swop batteries." I sat there flabbergasted.
The look on my face must have said it all. Soccer Mom went back to her vehicle and tried again. The car started just as Kind Man was reversing in with his tools. "It's all sorted" she yelled. She left the car running and walked over to my bonnet to remove the cables. She then went back to her car, leaving my bonnet open. I just sat there. It finally occurred to her that she should at the very least thank me and maybe even close my bonnet. "Thanks so much!" she muttered as she went to close my bonnet. "No problem!" I replied as I drove off to go to work.