As I mentioned previously, I was driving along through the snow last night, when suddenly my car was spinning (which is a really sick feeling), and the passenger-side of the car hit the concrete wall dividing the westbound lanes from the eastbound lanes. We stopped in the far left lane facing oncoming traffic. Luckily everyone saw us spin and didn't hit us. I called 911 and was told that there would be a wait because the state police were busy with other accidents. (And I believed that; I saw several accidents on the way. But I was feeling very vulnerable where I was.) Shortly thereafter, a tow truck showed up (I had assumed that the police called them, but now I think that they were listening to a police scanner) and got us out of there. (I insisted on bringing the cats in the cab of the tow truck with us.) He dropped us off at a Motel 6, but stupidly, I didn't grab the bag that had my cell phone charger in it.
So I brought the cats, orchids, and a few other things into our hotel room. I had asked at the desk where there was a grocery store or WalMart near by (to get a litter box and some food for the cats) and I tried to call a cab. No answer. I tried all the cab companies in the area. No one was answering.
So I was thinking, "Crap, what do I do now?" I went to the front desk of the motel and explained that I couldn't get a cab but needed to set up a litter box for the cats, and she gave me a box and a plastic bag to put in it. I walked over to another hotel next door, and asked them if they had any old newspapers. They did, gave them to me, and I thanked them profusely. I went back to the room and shredded the newspapers to fill the box, filled the ice bucket with water for the cats, and let them out in the room.
They promptly went under the beds, which I expected, although I wondered how I'd get them out in the morning. Zara came out a little, but then took up permanent residence under the bed. To my surprise, Harlee came out when I talked to her, drank a little water, and jumped up on the bed to be petted. She spent the rest of the evening with me on the bed. No sign of Zara. (I looked under the bed and saw her at least.)
Eventually I went to sleep, and Harlee went under the bed at that point. When I got up, Harlee came back up on the bed. At that point, I was getting worried about Zara. She looked completely catatonic under the bed, and I wondered if she had been injured (she was closest in the car to the point of impact), but I had seen her walk around earlier, and she seemed okay. I took a shower and pulled myself together.
I stuffed Harlee in her carrier, and she was doing her usual wailing and carrying on. Zara was still under the bed. I went to the front desk and asked for a broom to get her out from under there, and after some back-and-forth, I was able to grab her and stuff her in her carrier.
Then I called the rental car company, and was told that there would be a wait before they could pick me up. I called the towing place, and there was no answer. I called the body shop that originally was supposed to fix the car, and they said that they hadn't towed the car, and was wondering if my insurance company would arrange for the tow. I called the insurance company, and couldn't get through to them.
Eventually, the rental car company picked us up. We attracted a lot of attention when I brought in two cats, one meowing, and a box of orchids. They rented me a car, and printed out directions for me to the place to which the car was towed. I hadn't eaten breakfast (or, for that matter, dinner), so I stopped at a gas station to get gas and bought a couple of sweet rolls, which I consumed in short order.
Then I went in search of the towing place and eventually found it. The guy there was trying to convince me to let them fix it (they're also a body shop). I said okay, and tried to contact my insurance company, with no luck. I asked them if they could charge my cell phone while I was loading up the rental car with stuff from my car. They did, and I loaded up the car. Then I brought the cats into the shop with me, and tried to call the insurance company again with no luck. I used their washroom and told them that I had to go, but I left my contact information with them.
I was able to find the highway and had an uneventful ride back, except for the toll booth person who really liked my orchids and was asking me how I grew them. (The people behind me probably weren't thrilled.) I got the cats in the townhouse as soon as we got here, set up their rooms, and let them out. This time, Zara was calmer (last I saw, she was on the window seat that I set up for her) and Harlee's been largely hiding in the closet. I called my mom to let her know that we made it here. E-mailed my new workplace to tell them that I was back in Illinois, but I foresaw spending a lot of time on the phone to the insurance company and body shop, plus I was really sore from the accident, so I won't be in tomorrow either. Ate dinner. Called my insurance company yet again, and finally got through to them and made the arrangements to have my car fixed.
My plan now is to take a nap and then do some homework. Damn, I'm sore. Hey, Harlee just came over and ate some food.
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