We were running late for my neice's birthday party. Zeke had borrowed my car earlier and informed me as we hurried to the vehicle that the gas light had come on earlier and he had put $5 worth of gas in it....not much gas at $2.39 a gallon. Sure enough, on the way into the city, the light came on again. I'd get more on the way home.

They were resurfacing the highway of the Northbound lanes and traffic was backed up for miles. It was nearly 6 p.m. so I supposed that some of it was left over rush hour traffice. I was grateful that we were headed South and was just wondering if I should phone my husband, Angus, and advise him to take another route home when Zeke pointed over to the Northbound lanes and said, "Hey, there's Dad." Too late. He'd be suffering too since it was still 90° out and his old pickup doesn't have airconditioning. Zeke called himto let him know what he was in for and Angus said he had just come up on it and was already at a stand still. Of course, there had been no signs warning of the construction.

We arrived at the party and there were still a few hotdogs left and the cake had not yet been cut. Lexi was shy at first with all eyes upon her but at 2 she soon forgot the audience and was happily ripping into her gifts. Zeke's present of a small drum set was a hit with her but much less so with her parents. My sister (Lexi's mom) looked over at me and said, "ah, payback time." We smiled.

When we headed home it was after 9 p.m. and I decide that we had enough gas to get back to town and I could get it where I knew they'd take my check. I hate to put it on the credit card. I had completely forgotten about the road repairs as we chatted about the party. The road crew must've been working throught the night because we hit the long line of slow moving cars. The traffic was mo better than it had been earlier in the evening. I eyed the gas guage and thought we'd be okay. There was not choice now anyway. We were in it, no more exits. We waited; stop, crawl, stop again. Zeke pointed to tracks in the grass where somebody had decide to make his own short cut over to the gravel road that ran along side the highway. On we went as I watched the little red arm on the gas guage sink lower. We passed a car in the median with the hood up. I watched the arrow touch the big E and realized we were still several miles from the next gas station and wondered if we would be in that situation soon. Zeke again pointed to the gravel road and suggested that we make a getaway. It was completely dark by now and I worried that there might be something lurking in the grass that was hidden...like a huge ditch or something. We crawled forward and the guage dipped lower. Zeke finally said, "Mom, this is our last chance. That road turns up here." Sure enough, we were coming to a little overpass over the little Fishing River. The gravel road was still running parallel to the highway but it was way up a hill now. Okay, now I was worried. Which would be riskier? My option was fading fast. At the last possible moment I made my escape! Up the steep hill I went gunning it for momentum. There were no ditches or even bumps but it was very steep and the car stpped about 5 feet from the top. I eased my Jeep Cherokee back down the hill and put it into 4 wheel drive and tried again. The time it was easy. He cimbed right up and ove. As soon as I crested the hill I hit the brakes. There in front of the car was guard rail! I couldn't get onto the road here. I couldn't back up or I'd be going back down that hill but there was just enough room to turn and pull forward along the rail. The I started backing up along the ridge of the hill for about 20 feet to the end of the guardrail and tehn I was able to pull onto the road. Woohoo! My son reached over and honked a "we're free!" signal to those down below who were surely entertained by our dilemma.

We had no idea where this road would take up but knew that it had to eventually hit one of the roads that run through town. It wound around a lot but finally did hit a paved road. Where were we? Zeke recognized it and turned me right onto the road though a new housing development. We were on the same road that the gas station is. We filled it up and I had had a gallon left? Plenty to get to town under normal conditions...but with all the idling and stop and go? I don't know. I know it wouldn't have been as much fun as our little off-road adventure!