Storm Damage

Had no plans to go anywhere, do anything other than needlepoint yesterday. THEN, along about noon, I went online to pay bills and noticed something suspicious looking in my bank account.

Thinking I’d been hacked, I headed out to the bank.

Pulling out of the complex driveway, I saw Tent Guy still had his tent up.

He’s usually gone by 7:00 in the morning, 8:00 at the latest, so as not to be spotted by the authorities. Now here it was 12:15.

Interesting, thought I. Does he no longer care who knows he’s camping out in the field? It must have been like the end of the world in that tent during the storm, was he struck by lightning? Did he become ill?

Driving down the road, headed for the freeway, I turned on the radio.

No sound.

Hey?!

THEN, I noticed no lights on the console.

What?!

The car battery was working, or I’d not have gotten out of my parking space. Plus the A/C and turn signals were working, or at least they appeared to be as they clicked when activated.

I don’t know a lot about cars, but instincts told me the problem had something to do with the electrical and the thunder storm we’d just had. That somehow, the loud booms which shook the building and shook the cars, setting off alarms, had shorted out my lights.

Crap! I probably have no headlights. I can’t drive in the dark, was my next thought as I drove down the freeway realizing weekend plans were to head out at 4:45 Sunday, while it’s still dark, to get to the Spooktacular 5K in San Dimas.

Working it out in my head that I would not be able to participate in the weekend festivities, I was at first disappointed, because the Spooktacular is my favorite. However, knowing there’s a cosmic reason for everything, I swallowed the disappointment rather quickly.

Then my mind turned to that auto Service Technician, and how it was going to make his day that I was bringing him commission on what was sure to be a high ticket repair bill … humongous even.

But again, there’s a reason for everything, so I accepted it had to be done and planned it out to take the car in on Tuesday.

Arriving at the bank, the service rep asked, “How’s your day been so far?”

I lied, “Great”.

Then, “No it’s not” … storm, lights, high ticket repair job, always something.

She was appropriately commiserate, even offered me a lollipop. LOL.

“This is a cake and ice cream day” said I.

“If I had cake, I’d give it to you” she laughed.

What I thought was suspicious activity in my account was the bank switching customer cash back accounts to Visa, because of a dispute with Mastercard.

This is something the bank should have let its customers know beforehand, so people wouldn’t panic as I did. On the other hand, I always mark those bank messages as “read” without reading, so it’s entirely possible they did.

The service rep was really sweet and, after our business was completed, asked, “Are your brake lights working?”

Good question.

“Would you like me to go out and check for you?”

Why, yes, I would.

Once outside the bank, I put the key in the ignition, turned and the radio came on.

What?! Is everything back?

Yes … lights, brake lights, radio, all good.

Was it a fluke? Did the system reboot itself?

I’ll be checking between now and Sunday to make sure everything stays all good and I can head out on Sunday as planned.

On the way back to the complex, I stopped at a market near the bank.

Seriously?

Arriving back at the complex around 2:30, I saw Tent Guy STILL had his tent up.

This can’t be good, thought I.

I don’t want to be hasty and alert the police to his presence for no good reason, so I’m going to give it a day at the least, two days at the most. If I don’t see him up and about by then or the tent down or moved, I’ll call for a welfare check.