January 5, 2003

The only time I have had my car break down in an area where I was a good distance from home(about 80 miles) was on January 5, 2003. I decided to write this post detailing that day. If anything, it should open ones eyes to the different aspects of Tammy Zywicki's case especially when it comes to location, people you meet, rides you accept, etc. My decisions are my own and do not represent those of any one else. I just add this as a brainstorming of ideas. This is what I did when I broke down without a cellular phone. I did actually have a cellular phone but it was just bought for me that Christmas so it was still in its box and not set up and I am not a technical genius. Isn't that the way it always work. Just when you think you do not need it, you do. Any break downs I had after that I could always make a phone call so I think this break down story might have some information that maybe helps. I like to think in today's day and age I am the last person to break down without a cell phone(lol).

My problem actually started way back when I had an engine put in my car in October 2001. The guy that put it in did a good job, but when I took it for a test drive I realized it was hard to turn the steering wheel. He told it just needed to be "worked in." I know now that was b.s. I kept driving my car without power steering because it worked and eventually I got used to it. As one person told me, "It is just a luxury anyway."

Fast forward to January 5, 2003. I was about halfway into my 200 mile trip through central Indiana. It started to snow and the wind picked up. This caused snow and ice to blow across SR 26 which runs perfectly east-west through Indiana. At one point the traffic slowed down and so did I. When that happened my car started to sputter and just died so I pulled off to the side of the road. SR 26 is a 2 lane highway so pulled off onto the side of a ditch basically. My car was sitting at an angle. I got out and walked around my car. At one point I slipped right off my feet and fell straight on my back(lol). Snow had covered a road sign that was blown down. I fell on the road sign. A few people passed and asked if I needed help and I said no. For some reason the human mind always thinks the car will start again.
"If I can only make it home...." And to my surprise, after about a half hour I decided I would try to start the car one last time...and it started right up! I could not believe it. Then with my car started I ran into another problem. My car was so far off the road that when I hit the gas it slid farther into the ditch. Luckily a couple with a big pickup saw me and offered to tow me out. He hooked up a chain to the front of my car. I got into my car and as soon as I felt him pull I pushed on the gas and the car had enough grab in the front wheels to pull itself back up onto the roadway while it slipped into the ditch. I thanked them and went on my way.

Maybe 5 miles down the road with the storm passed and it not snowing anymore, the car started to sputter again. This time it died right at the intersection of SR 26 and SR 29 in Indiana. I remember the town was called Middlefork. I think it is more of a place than a town. It felt like the middle of nowhere. Usually at major highway intersections you expect business, etc. None here. It just seemed unusual that all there was at the spot was some stop signs and an old tractor and road sign sitting abandoned on the corner where I was parked. And this is where things got interesting. I decided at this point that there was no way I was probably going to make it the rest of the 80-100 miles left in my trip. The car did not start up this time and all I could do was sit there with the hood up. So I decided I was going to take a ride. What else could I do? The first ride I took was from an INDOT truck clearing the roads. He saw me sitting there and told me he knew a tow shop in the town just north(Burlington) might be open. So I got into his truck. This guy kind of gave me the creeps. He was not what I thought a state employee would be. I remember he just asked a lot of unprompted questions that got me nervous and even though this town was only a little bit away, I could not wait to get there. When we did get there, he checked the tow shop and told me the guy was closed(it was Sunday). I told him since I saw a gas station right next door that I had to use the bathroom. After I got done using the bathroom I pretended to make a pay phone call. He followed me inside and since I had no other choice to get back to my car I got back into his INDOT truck. What was I going to say to him? "Um, you are kinda wierd dude. I think I will walk back to my car." Just because someone acts a little strange does not mean anything. Maybe the guy is a nice guy. So he drove me back to my car. I think I told him I had called someone and they were coming to pick me up, some story so he would move on without feeling guilty leaving me there.

Back at my car I waited some more with the hood up. Then the best thing I could have hoped for happened. A woman actually asked me if I needed a ride. I was not going to pass that up especially after the INDOT guy. What surprised me was that she did not mind having a strange man in her car. I told her about my problem and she said she was going to take me to a place she knew was open in the city of Frankfort, southwest of where my car now was. So we went to that garage where she left me and I finally got someone to go out and tow the car in addition to being able to call family members to tell them what happened. The problem with my car was the power steering pump. It was fried. I just could not understand how something that had not been working for such a long time could come back to cause my car to break down. They could not fix my car until Monday because that would be when the part could be picked up. On Monday, the car was fixed and I drove on to my destination.

The point is simple. Look at all the different decisions I made and locations I was when my car broke down. Look at the people I accepted rides from, etc. and you begin to understand why, while there is always the possibility a truck driver is involved in Tammy Zywicki's case, there are also other aspects that should be considered. When I made my decision to accept a ride, I thought I am going to accept if from someone in authority or a woman. Ironically I did not think a woman would stop because I did not think a woman would want to take that chance. That is why I accepted a ride from the INDOT guy when he came around. I did not know when the next person of authority would show up. Now I realize INDOT guys are not really people of authority so much as they are just state employees. When I got to my destination I found my new cell phone and figured out how to set it up.

I never got that woman's name. She was relatively young, in her 30's. All I remember is that she told me she was a restaurant manager. I hope I said thank you because if you have ever been to the intersection of SR 26 and SR 29 in Indiana, it can feel like a very desolate place.