The Dunwoody Library is one of these consistently good sales. My dad and I made plans to go up (20-40+ minutes in Atlanta traffic), check out the sale, get some dinner and head home. The sale opens to the public Thursday at 4pm which placed us just ahead of rush hour traffic. I arrived first and was surprised at the ease of parking at the library. The popular sale draws people from all over the area and the parking lot was almost empty. I walked in and was greeted by piles of boxes of presumably books and a pair very apologetic volunteers. The two seniors who volunteer to organize the sale explained that due to politics and voting site rules, the sale had been postponed a week. Frustrated that I drove up with no books to take home with me, I called my dad and told him to turn around. We made plans to have dinner closer to home and try the sale when it was actually occurring.
I got back on 400 in the beginning of rush hour. Rush hour in Metro Atlanta is brutal and this was one of the first really hot days. I have a black car that just sucks in heat and holds on. I kept cranking up the air-conditioning trying to cool down. Traffic wasn't moving fast enough to get a breeze going and the sun pounded on my car. My car said "this is enough" and proceeded to over heat. I smelled something just before the engine light dinged on. Frantically, I maneuvered over to the road's shoulder, turned off the engine, and watched steam gently billow beneath the hood of the car. Thank goodness for cell phones. It took just over an hour to get a AAA tow truck to me. The nature of this highway means that the truck had to drive 2 miles north of me and then hit the southbound lanes to get to me. During rush hour. The trip started leaving work at 4pm and ended in a mechanic's empty parking lot at 7:15.
All this for no books. Let me tell you, that was not how I expected my evening to progress. Finally, the car delivered to the shop, my dad ordered me a large drink and a large steak at Long Horn, and all was well again.
This little guy kept teasing me from my cell phone. The library's mascot looks so happy guarding all the books. Next time little guy, some of those books are coming home with me.
ps, The next Thursday, I found a first edition of Jim Butcher's first book. Score!!
