On the Fumes

I knew better.
I mean this had happened before....and I ended up stopping before my destination.
But I thought I could make it.
Thought I'd have plenty left to do other things.
Ha yah right.
I'm lucky to not have ended up on the side of a highway.

I should have listened to that little thought that entered my mind saying:
Sarnic, buy gas first before driving home.
No, I can make it. I told myself.

Note to self....slap myself next time I think that.
....Or have Kikay douse me in water again lol.

So what happened?

Well, I had a trip home planned today.
As I had a short shift, and the day off tomorrow...
A glance at my gas tank showed that I had a quarter tank left.
Possibly a little less then that...yah...maybe a sixth of a tank left.
But I thought I could make the hour drive home on it.

Oooh man.
Topping and passing by the point of the mountain...
My red needle dropped.

Maybe I should get off and find a gas station.

No. I can make it. It's only a few more miles.

15 miles the needle dropped to just above the red.

Maybe I should get off and find a gas station.

No, I can make it...besides I don't know where a gas station is here in the city, with so many highway's converging together.. might end up on a different highway instead of a street with a gas station on it.
I literally switched back and forth in lanes barely switching back to the main highway before taking an exit because I couldn't see a gas station right away and didn't want to risk it.

three miles from home....
The needle went into the red.

Bad. This is bad. No gas station no gas station in this last stretch before home.
I definitely need to go straight to the Chevron. 

By this point I was praying hard to not end up stuck on the highway.... (please make it! Please help me make it! It's only three more miles! Two more miles! Come on come on, Pleasssseeee. I won't do this ever again I promise. I learned the lesson. etc etc.)
Calling myself nine kinds of an idiot all the while lol.

Took the exit.
Going up the hill to get to the main road before my road....
The first cough.
The first shudder of the car, trying to find it's momentum that it lost for a minute.
(Dark glares to the cars going slower in front of me forcing me to slow down.)
On the main road before the road to my house...the road with the Chevron!
It shuddered again.
The loss of momentum for a split second.

OH NO OH NO OH NO OH NO OH NO!
I basically floored it.
Zoomed into the Chevron and put it into park.

Thankful that I had made it without getting stuck on the side of the road.
Like my coworker had earlier today when she ran out of gas....

Literally shaking. My heart pounding a million miles an hour, and wanting to laugh from relief...
I put more gas into my tank. About a third.
As...I have to wait until Friday to get more money to buy the rest of the gas lol.

But never again will I do that drive with a sixth of a tank left.
It. Is. Not. Enough. Gas!
I mean....this is the second time the tank has been at 1/6 and I thought I could make the drive between the apt and home.

No.
Sarnic.
It. Does. Not. Work! Never with 1/6th!
NEVER EVER EVER!!!
At least the first time I was smart enough to pull over at a gas station before the needle went into the red.

But, I should be good now. :)
I'm just thankful that I got to where I needed to be.
Very Very Thankful.

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi