About two minutes after climbing back into the car, A noted a strange sticking of the clutch, followed by a nasty smell and an inability to put the car into any gear but neutral. Did I mention that we were going uphill?

Act of Kindness #1: A man stopped and helped us push it safely to the guardrail, much to my nervous nellie relief.

I have never gotten stuck on the side of the road in an unknown place before. We scratched our head for a while, trying to figure out who to call (we lacked AAA and it was not our car).

It turns out that there are not that many tow companies open on Sunday. It also turns out that we had a very vague idea of where the heck we were (Yeah, we are on 9W near some red leaves does not really cut it).

Act of kindness #2: Within about ten minutes of standing stranded on the side of the road making cell phone calls, two guys pulled over and used their GPS system to help us pinpoint where exactly we were on 9W. Swank.

After we got the car to the auto body shop, A and I realized that we had no idea how to get home. My usual reptilian circulatory system led us to the closest Dunkin Donuts for hot coffee and some time to sit and hash out a plan. We wound up investigating the bus stop, conveniently located in front of the local gas station.

The attendant and a couple buying coffee explained there was a bus that would take us to the Port Authority...due in two hours. The couple left the gas station. We mulled it over, trying to figure out whether to wait or get a car to take us to Beacon/MetroNorth.

Act of Kindness #3: Then the husband poked his head into the station and offered to drive us to Beacon.

Guess what we chose? With Fifty Cent blasting through a bitchin' bass tube half the way there (his wife turned it down)? But you know what? We got to Beacon, and that couple rocks.