October 10, 2010

Confession of a Hitchhiker - My Life with One Car In A Two-Car World {10/10/10 Tribute Post }

After my recent adventure in Asheville NC, I knew it was time to confess... Only a few people know my real situation. Some knew out of necessity. Some were told. Some just simply know. And some of those who know just doesn't know how to act around me... I even think I made some very uncomfortable just by knowing the truth...

Is it because I never really talk about it? I never saw the need to. And why not? It's personal and it's not my thing to tell every living soul my private life. Yet, I know there comes a time when you need to tell a story, so people would understand and not be judgmental. Because you know what? most people speculate because they don't have a clue!

So, I'm telling...
"Honey, I was invited to attend this bloggy event in Cary on Thursday and I'm going!"
"Huh! How are you going to get there? I need the car that day too!"
Yes, we own just one car. I will not even begin to describe the agony I feel each time a thing like this comes up. This is what I have to deal with on a regular basis. As a blogger actively involved in the community it gets very frustrating - add heartbreak to the equation - and very limiting to say the least. Most times, I feel like I'm permanently bootstrapped to my own inadequacy and have no way of breaking free!

Did we chose this? Heck no.

Fate threw this on us and yes, it is insane! Hell sometimes. I'd be honest, it brings tears to my eyes on more than one occasion. And the shame I feel literally "begging" to hitch a ride with someone just so I can attend an event or be somewhere, literally kills me like crazy inside!

But for right now, this is my life and this is how I became a hitchhiker! Not sure if I should be proud of it but it helped me get to where I need to be. I hitchhiked my way to an event at the beach, to that second Mom event in Cary and recently the conference at Type A mom. And of course, there's those times I hitchhiked to get home from work.

You will probably never know the struggles, the pain and frustrations having only one car to juggle with can do to you but if someone like me asked you if they can hitch a ride with you and you say "yes!" then you have made a big difference in that person's life - My life and I thank you for that!
"My life is akin to a turtle. I carry my entire home when I go somewhere... 6am. The entire household wakes up. Hubby is driving me to meet Towanda in Concord Mills. 45 minutes ride to get there. I'm hitching a ride to Cary NC. Daughter is forced to wake up earlier than usual on a school day. She needs to go with us. She can't stay home alone. She's just 5. We bundled her in the car. It's still dark outside. It's January. It's winter. It's cold. This is My life living with one car... "
In the bright side of things, having only one car saved us from some serious spending dollars from not having another car to maintain and we do things more often as a family eventhough it is not in the best of circumstances, hence, my life is akin to a turtle. Though it is sad to say, I'm a part of a growing society of families living with one car in a two-car world. It's not the most pleasant setting but we're making the most of it with the help of kind people like you.

Thank you Towanda {Queenocracy}. Thank you Lisa { Daily Pinch}. Thank you Carolyn {Carolyn in Carolina}. Thank you Julie {Mommie Cooks}. You are forever my heroes...

And this is my story. Now you all know. Don't Judge me. Don't pity me. Just give me a darn ride!
Related Stories:
Forty-Four Million Living in Poverty in the US
How to Become a One-Car Family

9 comments:

  1. You know you always have a ride in my car!

    We've all been there at one point or another and honestly, if we can't ask our friends and expect them to understand and help out, then who can we ask? Love ya to bits my friend!

    Oh, and what ever happened to the girls night out? I need one!

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  2. I also thank those wonderful people who give my wife rides to these awesome events (sometimes going miles out of their way to pick her up). It shows what a great community my wife is a part of and I am truly grateful.

    Julie, you'll have to give my wife a ride to the next GNO ... just sayin' :-D

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  3. If it makes you feel better, we are a one car family too. We simply cannot afford 2 vehicles. All I ask is you be careful with hitching! Obviously the right people are helping out and it's great to know that there are good people out there.

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  4. awwww... thanks! Your company is priceless, so don't think of yourself as a hitchhiker. You just ride with your friends alot, :-)!

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  5. HA Dale! I'm on my way. Where are we heading? :D

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  6. I am happy to give you a ride anytime, especially when it gives me access to the car pool lane. I also appreciate the company. Best to you and yours.

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  7. We only have 1 car here but we have no small children & Boston has excellent public transportation. I total support car pooling, ride sharing, it's better for our environment, forces us to interact with others in real time.It also cuts expenses as I've never gotten into a friend's car without offering to buy gas, lunch or Starbucks!

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  8. well, if i lived there, i would give you a ride :o) we do what we have to in today's world. i'd never judge you. when i was first separated, and for a time after i got divorced, i had NO car. i had to walk a mile to catch the city bus to get to work, then sometimes ride it back at midnight. i'd call a taxi for that mile cos it was so late at night. i would have to walk mini-me to school which was even further and have miss la-di-da-di in tow (she was s-l-o-w..prob cos she was just 3 yrs old). i even sometimes got a ride from my ex's first ex wife. how desperate is that? so i could and NEVER would judge you. :o)

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  9. Oh, my gosh, Maricris! I thought you literally hitch-hiked for a minute! But you got rides from friends, right? Phew! I have been without a car for just a day and I'm going crazy, although I hardly ever drove in college. I lived right in town and took the bus or walked everywhere I needed to go. Can't quite do that 20 miles out of town right?

    But there is nothing to be ashamed of Maricris! That is what we are here for... to help each other! I'm sure the awesome ladies who gave you rides were thankful for the company, too! I wish I lived close to you so I could take you places ;-)

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