"Don't be late to pick me up," he teased, since the first time he came to visit she was, indeed, late to pick him up at the airport, and she assured him she would be waiting at the gate as he walked off the plane.
He was flying in on the red eye, and the plan was that after she picked him up, they would make the nine hour drive to their hometowns to meet each other's parents; in preparation for this, she took her little two-door car for an oil change, then, because it was unseasonably warm, she decided to get the car washed as well.
Overnight, however, the spring-like weather was replaced with arctic cold, and when she went out to the car at daybreak to head to the airport, she found that water from the car wash had seeped around the gaskets in the doors and they were all frozen shut.
She cried first, because the minutes were ticking away and she was most definitely going to be late to pick him up at the airport, and then she had a brainstorm and tried the trunk, which opened with a slight crackle of ice breaking. The trunk was tiny and she was tall, but she crawled in on her hands and knees, turned over onto her back, and wiggled like a cockroach into the trunk, pressing the lever that lowered the back of the back seat flat, rolled into the car, crawled between the bucket seats and gear shift and into the driver's seat, where she started the car and took off for the airport.
In spite of her being late once again, pulling up at baggage claim to find him standing patiently, his luggage at his feet, shaking his head and smiling as she walked towards him, tears flowing, babbling about frozen doors and trunks, he knew that this blubbering mess was HIS mess, and he needed to spend the rest of his life with her.
Linking up with Ivy at Uncharted for Six Sentence Stories with the prompt "trunk."
Both Version 1 and Version 2 are interesting, and I'm wondering if these stories are based on true stories about someone you know.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Romi! My husband is the one who got stuck in the back of the hearse 18 years ago, and I'm the one who crawled through my trunk when we were dating 23 years ago!
DeleteAwwwww. Sweet! I soooo didn't want her to get stuck in the trunk! True story at all? I'm off to version one!
ReplyDeleteTotally true. Both of them. What is missing from the story (I needed a few more sentences!) was that I kicked the passenger door open from the inside when I got inside and the freaking gasket came right off with it, still frozen to the car. More panic ensued, with me thinking I was going to have to drive to the airport while leaning across the car, holding the door shut (and shifting gears). Through a rush of adrenaline, I was able to soften the gasket enough to get it back on the door frame and get the door shut.
Deletemrs. magiver!
DeleteSometimes you figure things out at the craziest time, don't you? Nice!
ReplyDeleteIt's a good thing that car had a latch in the trunk so you could lay the backseat down! I guess it was because the trunk was so small and it was necessary if you wanted to carry anything of any size in the trunk.
Deletenah, they're totally true, gots to be!
ReplyDeleteTotally true. Read my reply to Ivy's comment for the rest of the story.
DeleteThe story was great except that curious rumination of his where the bubblering mess of a wife evokes a strange reaction instead of a loving hug.
ReplyDeleteOh, he did give me a huge hug! That's what probably started the worst of the blubbering! He was shaking his head and smiling at me when he first saw me, because he had predicted I would be late and he was right.
DeleteI have no trouble picturing you in this story Dyanne. None :)
ReplyDeleteNicely done :D
I remember it like it was yesterday! And thanks!
DeleteSuch a sweet story of the early days of your relationship, looks like you've both done some worming your way into the front seat of cars! I can imagine the tears and upset at getting a late start for the airport, and that you were greeted with open arms and not reproach tells me all I need to know about why you are still together now. Love bears all things... even delays! :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Josie! I felt horrible that I was late AGAIN to pick him up. He just took it in stride and accepted me.
DeleteHis and her trunk stories! How sweet! :-)
ReplyDeleteHow many couples can say they have his and hers trunk stories?
DeleteOmigosh both versions were based on true events?? That is just fabulous, they were both really good reads!
ReplyDeleteEvery word absolutely true! And thank you so much!
DeleteIt seems the two of you were meant for each other.
ReplyDeleteIt appears it was inevitable!
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