Stuck at Wawa

 Okay so at least I made it to a gas station. I was on Rte #1 - another poor decision as I should have stayed on the interstate instead of avoiding the tolls by heading to the beautiful but hilly and small with no shoulder, two lane country road. Not even a gas station or home let alone side street or driveway - a dam though and the greenest hills and meadows and trees.

About 10 miles from my veggie oil guy and also 10 miles from my chosen family that we are supposed to visit, I stop to fill up on diesel as I'm almost empty. When I turn the key to go, the engine cranks and cranks and cranks and refuses to catch - even with Mujasi spraying the stinky starter fluid into the air filter.

And thus the search for a diesel mechanic begins.

I am maybe 20 miles west of Philly so not totally deep into white republican even KKK land of the rest of Pennsylvania but still, it is challenging to find a diesel mechanic. 

I begin by asking the guys stopping for gas, driving trucks that are comparable to mine if they're local and if so, do they know of any diesel mechanics they trust.

In between other trucks coming and going, I start googling. The closest shop I find is 9 miles away - 9 country miles = 28 minutes. I call them and talk with the owner Jason. He doesn't drop the phone or hang up when he hears my voice and finds out I run veggie oil. He doesn't have either the means to come to me nor the means to tow me, but he thinks he can fix the truck.

So now I call my road service insurance to get towed to Jason's. After waiting 45 minutes for them to arrange a tow that is coming in another 30 minutes, it's close to 5pm and Jason closes at 7pm. Before I can begin to act, the tow company calls me and says they can't tow me. Supposedly they couldn't understand the heavily-accented person on the phone and thought I had a small car.

Really???? I asked them if they didn't have someone in the shop who spoke Thai? GRRRRRR 

I call my insurance company back and talk with the young man who cancels the first tow order and assures me he'll find another company. I start to look also and make calls to find out which ones can tow my camper and also are Allstate providers. 

Then I find the original tow company on google and see that they DO tow campers and trucks. I call my insurance guy back - another annoying venture as the 800 number is in a loop asking me if I want an update or to cancel and not giving me the option to talk with a real person....

Finally I cancel my order and call back. Fortunately, Peter answers and tells me he has called 50 tow companies in the area and can't find one that will tow my truck. I know he's probably reaching mostly racist white people who won't take the time to try to understand him. I volunteer to call myself, which he seems happy to have me intercede.

The tow company agrees to tow my vehicle and gives me the contact info so I call Peter back and let him know. After another 45 minutes, I get a call from Peter saying this company wants to charge more than what Allstate road service is prepared to pay. Then he suggests he contact his supervisor to get approval.

By now it is too late as I would arrive at Jason's after he's closed and hasn't answered my call about leaving her there after hours.

So I decide to find a couple of strong folks to push my truck away from the pump island and into a parking place at the border of the lot.

The only folks at the pump now are two guys in a pickup truck with a trailer hauling a lawnmower. I am able to speak Spanish "puedes ayudme empujar mi casa camion por favor" - "es facil" I reassure. First the driver says he has hurt his finger as he leans across the seat and shows a bandaged pointer finger. Then he asks me what is wrong. 

He and his passenger leave their vehicle at the pump and come over to open my cab and jump on the engine to see what he can do to fix it.

After trying to prime the fuel and spray the ether, and look at a few more bolts and hoses, he then motions his friend over and we push the truck toward the parking area. He wants me to put the truck in 2nd gear and pop the clutch, seeing if she will start that way.

She stays stubbornly off. By this time I'm resigned to leaving my Radical Ride Baby parked overnight at the Wawa. The employees I've come in contact with are friendly and assure me she will be safe and allowed to stay there overnight.

My dearest wonderful generous sistar Celina has come out to pick us up. She also translates my terrible Spanish so the guys that are helping me understand what I've been trying to say. Before Eloy leaves, he gives me the numbers of two diesel mechanics he knows but doesn't know their names.

Celina heads immediately to get Mujasi sushi and then takes us to her lovely home where she makes another meal and prepares a bedroom for us. We are SOOOOOOO fortunate!