A Coming of Age Story of a Detroit Pistons Fan Part II

Somehow I got the car off the highway, off the exit ramp and onto 8 Mile.  The Horizon gently rolled to a stop.  I turned the key… nothing.  I turned it again… nothing.  I’m not ashamed to admit that I was frightened and had no idea what we were going to do.  Clarence, Chris and Joe were in the back seat acting, well, like idiots.  That’s the chance you take when you bring underclassmen along on a road trip.  I looked at Todd and he back at me and I was assured he had my back, whatever it was that I was going to do.  So as calmly as I could I said, “OK, be cool.  Let’s watch each other’s backs and figure out how we are going to get out of this.  And for God’s sake, don’t do or say anything stupid!”  Underclassmen!  We got out, pushed the car off the road and into a parking lot.  I wish the Police would have driven by, but no such luck.

Looking around, we saw a Wendy’s® and a pay phone.  I took out my phone card.  Yes, there was a time when we all used pay phones and phone cards.  Then we walked to the phone and I called home.  “Hello, mom…”  She replied, “Where are you?”  I responded, “You see, ah, the car broke down and we’re stranded on 8 Mile in Detroit…”  She yelled, “I knew it, I knew that you would go into Detroit and then someth…” CLICK!

I’m sure it didn’t make her less angry that I hung up on her.  Sure a seventeen year old could use a loving motherly lecture from time to time, but this was neither the time, nor the place for that.  Trust me, it really wasn’t the place!  Besides, it was my brother’s car that broke down.  If anything, she should have been mad at him.  Still, we had a huge problem and it was evident that mom was not going to be helpful at that moment.  Plan B, let’s walk over to the drive-thru window.

Thankfully the employee opened up the window, the bullet proof glass window, and listened to our predicament.  We asked if there were any hotels around the area.  He looked to his left and then to his right and said, “Sure! There are some hotels, but I – I don’t think you want to stay there, you know?”  We knew!  Remember, this was not a real good neighborhood.  He was really nice and offered to call a taxi to take us to a national chain hotel.  I don’t want to give you the name of the hotel, 1 because it is one of my favorite hotel chains and 2, well you are about to find out.

The cab arrived and the nice man from Wendy’s® wished us luck.  In a few short minutes we arrived at the hotel and paid the driver our fare.  Clarence, Chris and Joe took a seat in the lobby and Todd and I went up to the desk.  Now over the years, at least in my mind, the lady on the other side of the counter looks more and more like the witch from The Wizard of Oz.  No, no, not the good witch.  She glared at us and asked, “How may I help you?”

Though I was stressed and fatigued, in a most polished voice I replied, “Well we’re from up in Bay City and we came down to watch the Pistons at the Palace.  Our car broke down and we need a room for the night.  We have five people, but we’d be glad to make do.  What can you offer us?”  This time she didn’t even bother to look up, “How do you plan to pay for this?”  Todd stepped in, “My dad gave me his credit card just in case of an emergency.  That was a pretty good idea.  If you like, you can call to verify it.”  She said, “That won’t be necessary.”  For a moment we thought we were safe until morning, but she continued, “Why did your parents let you drive down to Detroit?”  Things were beginning to unravel.

“Well ma’am, they did and right now we really need a safe place to stay for the night until we figure out how to get back home,” I said.  “Are either of you eighteen?” her interrogation continued.  I looked at Todd and he shook his head no and I did the same.  Todd said, “We’re not quite eighteen, but we will be soon and we are about to graduate from high school.”  “Mmm-hmm,” she continued, “Which one of you is older?”  I looked at Todd and said, “June 8^th.”  He replied, “July 13^th.”  I looked at her and said, “I guess I’m the oldest, it’s my car, so I’m the one who’s responsible.  Let’s put the room in my name.  What do I need to fill out?”  She answered, “Not yet!  I will have to run the card and verify it first.”

She didn’t really seem like she wanted to give us a room.  When she started running the credit card through the machine upside down, we began to lose the fading hope we had left.  Todd suggested that she turn the card the other direction.  She snapped, “THAT’S NOT IT!”  She went to the manager for help.  At that moment, I went over to the other three to let them know things weren’t looking good as they were falling asleep in the lobby.  I truly wish that they were trying to get the card run, but most likely they were coming up with a story to tell us why they were not going to let us stay there.

I had returned to the desk, about the same time that she and the manager did.  They said, “There seems to be some problem with the credit card you gave us and we are not going to be able to help you.”  I pulled my driver’s license and school ID out from my wallet.  Todd calmly suggested that they run the card in the right direction.  They said in unison, “That’s not the problem.”  In a much more forceful manner, Todd said, “You can’t leave us stranded.  Look!  Here’s my driver’s license!”  BAM!  “Here’s my school ID!”  BAM!  “Here’s his!” I slid my two cards over.  “You have my father’s credit card, here’s his number.  Just give him a call so we can have a place to stay!!”  The manager and she gave him back the credit card and walked away.  I asked if they at least had a pay phone.  They said, “There’s one in the lobby.”  Plan C!

Unfortunately, we hadn’t come up with plan C yet.  Todd and I walked outside to calm down and to figure out what we were going to do.  As we discussed our decreasing options, we both had a strong knowledge that in fifty days we were going to be out of high school and we were going to be responsible for ourselves.  In an abstract way, we knew that.  However with this situation thrust upon us, we understood what that meant in a very real way.  We were so aware of it that we discussed how we are adults now and we have to start fixing our own messes.

We both grew up a lot that day.  Our parents had prepared us well.  We never lost our heads.  I’m not exactly sure if we were in any real danger.  Maybe we were in more than we imagined.  Who knew?  We agreed that what was important was to get Clarence, Chris, Joe and ourselves back to Bay City safely.  What ever it would take, we were prepared to do it.  Actually, for the first time since the car broke down, I knew that we would.  The moment was very surreal.  Todd and I were stuck somewhere in limbo.  We looked like adults, but evidently we weren’t until we turned eighteen.  We were less than two months away from finishing high school and heading out to face the world on our own.  It was almost a calming experience.  We both knew at that time that we were ready for our futures.  That’s a valuable piece of information when you’re seventeen and fifty days away from graduation! 

It was now almost one o’clock in the morning and our next plan had to work.  In truth, we were beginning to run out of options.  Plan C was going to work!

To Be Continued…  I promise the next part is the conclusion!