Commuting to MJ

Living in Caronport will most likely mean that you will commute to work in Moose Jaw.  Yes there are those that will work at the school as educators, office support, or in the services that support the school and those are wonderful jobs to have, however the competition for those jobs are high, the jobs themselves are low-paying, and it seems in my experience that you need to have connections to obtain them.  So for myself, and many like me in the community who have to pay bills, the likely option is employment in Moose Jaw, which is fine.  Actually if there were such a thing as a great commute, the commute to MJ from Caronport would be it: it's short, with little traffic, and on a double-lane highway.  The reality is that if push-came-to-shove you could make the trip from MJ in 8 minutes; I did it once when I was approaching curfew once in my early college days.  The ease of commuting however, rests upon one key ingredient: a reliable vehicle; a   lesson I learned the hard way this week.
For the past several weeks I have had difficulty with my vehicles, but had back-ups in my other vehicle and my roommates vehicle, but this past week I was alone and found myself up a creek with no paddle.  While it started weeks prior, the real problem began Monday.  On Monday, I was on my way to work and realized that my vehicle no longer could shift up; it remained in 4th gear on the highway, and after stopping at the first light in MJ it remained in first.  I did arrive at work and my thought was, "Oh well, I can drive it home slowly at 20km with the hazard lights and figure something out."  However, when I got out of work my van would not start.  I proceeded to some friends house who lived nearby, but they were not home.  I managed to mooch a ride from another friend and made it home.  The next morning I went to the OK Tire shop in Caronport to get my van towed back from MJ, and I caught a ride in with them to work.  Let me say this, if you are in the area and need fair work on your vehicle, Jay and his staff are great! Ok Tire has been an answer to prayer in this whole thing.  Anyways, I caught a ride with the tow truck; I tagged-along with them as they dropped-off another vehicle first.  I had contacted a friend about a ride after work, but they were working, so I popped a message on facebook requesting a ride (I offered gasmoney or food).  When I was done work, I was crushed to see that nobody responded to my request.  I know I could have probably called someone, but in my sense of abandonment I decided I would walk to the highway and try to hitchhike or even walk home.  It was incredibly hot and humid; 38 degrees.  Coming off being on my feet at work the previous 8 hours didn't make it ideal, but I figured I had to do what I had to do. Staying in MJ didn't seem like an option because there was a courtesy car I could use from the garage.  So I set out.  In 40 minutes I went from downtown to the highway, and in another hour I walk 6km out of town.  With 12km ahead of me and the sun setting, I was giving up on hitchhiking and setting my mind more on the fact that I would likely have to walk the whole way.  Hitchhiking is a discouraging thing; people drive as far over in the next lane to avoid you or the flip you off, or they mock you as they speed by.  I realize that a man of my size and having been unshaven probably didn't help my situation, but in light of my experience I have a great deal of sympathy for the many hitchhikers one sees on the #1 highway.  Anyways, I was spotted by some friends who were heading into MJ and spun around to take me with them; they even bought me ice cream which was a lift to my spirit.  The next day I went to the shop and was loaned a courtesy car; a 1992 Acura, which was a blessing to drive.  However, I came out after work and it didn't start.  After an hour to wait for the owner to come out and try to get it to start, I finally made it home, but seemingly had no vehicle again.  Luckily, Jay called me later and offered me the garage courtesy van.  So on Thursday, I went to work for the fourth day in a different vehicle and when I came out after work I was extremely nervous as to whether or not I would be stranded again; I had even joked to several people that if something happened I would retire from driving.  Thankfully, the vehicle started fine and I was able to return it to the shop.  Friday was my day-off and had no real need for a vehicle, although I feared that with my luck I would have another kidneystone attack and be stuck at home, but it didn't.  My fortune continued to better itself when my sister-in-law arrived with a car that my in-laws were graciously loaning to us for the time being.  I also found out on Friday that my van's transmission is indeed finished, forcing me now to sell it as is or for parts and try to recover some of the costs it has sunk me.
So this week was not a typical, boring week in Caronport.  I have gained a greater appreciation for vehicles and for those that are there to help me when I am down.