Perils of Pauline?

No, no, no! Has to be worse than she ever had it, I've decided. I mean, really. I feel embarrassed to even recount one more of these ridiculous situations to you. Enough is enough, right? I guess not. Somebody's definitely testing me out. So here goes, since you say you want to know all and I can't get wifi here where I could otherwise be doing my Kumihimo Festival related work that's weighing on me. 

I'm sitting in an Aamco waiting room with Bobby on a chair next to me, rolled up in a sleeping ball. What a good, patient little guy.

I reached Tulsa yesterday afternoon of the good reverse gear fix-up in Rolla, MO. After I left Tulsa I began feeling there was something strange sounding or feeling about the drive and 3rd forward gears. A few clunking sounds as I shifted down or back up to drive. Then somewhere a little later I could have sworn I was experiencing a partial revving of the motor in drive. It also seemed to be losing power. It was extremely windy and you know I was keeping company with the big 18 wheelers that make every kind of noise and cause all kinds of vibrations as they pass me. So I couldn't be sure at first. It was turning toward five thirty or six and I was also dealing with that blinding, straight ahead low sun trauma while trying to figure out what was  happening.

No need for more blow by blow. I reached Oklahoma City, hoping to see a motel six or anything similar along the way. Finally I saw from the I 40 skyway, a Walmart in a mall, below. I limped along at about 30 mph to the next exit and found my way, really limping now, to that "Home away from home," The Walmart Parking Lot.
It's rapidly becoming a love affair between me and these lots. 

I thought that I should immediately find out about my exact location to tell AAA or 911, whichever seemed necessary.

I looked over at a woman parked in her car nearby, ready for departure. I walked over to her closed window and put on a friendly smile, hoping she wouldn't just freak and drive away. She decided to receive me, we talked, I explained, and before we knew it, we were discussing the fact that we had all sorts of things in common. — We ended up leaving Bobby in the Rialta and driving in her car to a great Mexican restaurant for a delicious dinner together. It was the old "meant to meet each other" thing before we knew it. She and a friend are scheduled to be in Calistoga for a mineral spa experience in late October. She has invited me to stay with her tonight if I need the layover. Life can be so beautiful even in the midst of experiencing disaster. Speaking of which, though it is very hot right now, a huge front is being predicted on the radio for tonight or tomorrow when, of course, I was hoping to be reaching Amarillo.

Pauline, move over. This story will eventually reveal its outcome and you'll be the first to know.