So, the Subaru… We didn’t drive it for a couple of days. Then one morning, we turned the key in the ignition and nothing happened. Shouldn’t have been a surprise, I guess, since the dome light was off and absolutely nothing on the dashboard lit up for the effort. Dead battery you say? You say wrong.

Nope, I tried a jump and while it git the instrument panel to temporarily light up, the engine wouldn’t turn over. So I called teh dealership and since it is well within warranty, he said we need to get it towed in. I already screwed around with the fuse box looking for something blown with no luck, but I asked if there wasn’t something he could suggest. No luck. Get it towed.

So I called our roadside assistance number, the roadside assistance you get as part of the warranty, and after being hung up on twice by the computer, I was told that call volume was extreme. So it snowed for three days, big deal, right? The anticipated wait this morning was more than 8 hours. Actually, I think more than 8 hours is the longest delay the computer can offer, so for all I know it is more like two weeks.

Since we have another car – the unsinkable Toyota Corolla – I’m not too worried and figured I would wait a day for the call volume to subside rather than listen to the muzak light sounds of the 70s for “more than 8 hours” waiting for the next available operator.

But what if I was on the road, in the cold, with my kids, and a fading cell phone battery that I couldn’t charge because the power system in my car is completely dead. What then Subaru? It’s not like I’m looking for something complicated here like rv repair or jet turbine adjustment or help pairing wine with dinner. I just want a freakin’ tow.