Day 7 -- 06-20-2017

Good evening from Mont Vernon.


It had to happen soon or later. Today, we had some minor car trouble with our rental car. After enjoying the breaking of day, with coffee on the deck, we proceeded with our daily ritual, of packing beach bags, and a cooler and prepared to head to the bakery, and then the beach.

So with bags packed, we trekked down the hills from our studio along the pathway to the parking lot and our car. We loaded the bags, got in, buckled up, and I turned the key -- Nothing but a rapid clicking!! Now this surprised me, because for the last week, the vehicle performed just fine.

I don’t know why, but we all do it, I tried again. Same results. Well this is not good! Not good at all!

So retrieve the bags and trek back to the studio, this time uphill all the way. Now I don’t know about you, but in all my travels to the island I’ve never before had to use my cell phone (email has always sufficed) but today I needed to use it. So after a few minutes of trying to figure out how to call the Dutch side of the island, from the French side (thank God for GOOGLE), I called Mr. Lesley Elvis Bruce -- yes that is is name. This gentleman owns Kenny’s Car Rental and it is located on the Dutch side down by the airport.

Anyway, to make a long story short, I reached Lesley by phone and told him of my troubles. I had heard that he was “Johnny-on-the-spot” when it came to such matters. I can now happily report that his reputation is well earned. Within an hour he had traveled from the Dutch side of the island near the airport to Mont Vernon, on the far north on the french side. Located our car, replaced the battery, and then called me to to tell me it was repaired.

No questions. No paperwork. No nothing, except outstanding service, by a hard working local man providing for his family. I can’t recommend him enough!!

In the end, we stayed at Mont Vernon today instead of venturing to beach and enjoyed the peace and tranquility of the pool here. After a few hours at the pool we went back to the studio, and some lunch. Soon it was time for dinner.

So we cleaned up, and once again trekked down the path to the car. This time all was perfect, and we headed to one of our favorite eateries -- Rancho Del Sol, where Diana and I enjoyed a good meal, a couple of beers, and some after dinner rum -- not to mention the view of Orient Bay from on high.

Yep, today life through a Lemon our way. But, you know what? I learned that my trust in local man's reputation was well deserved. I learned how to call from one side of the island to the other. I learned that the often under-used pool at our studio, is really a nice place to hang out with the one you love.

I can’t help but to think God may have had reason to toss me lemon today. Perhaps we avoided some tragedy today, thanks to a dead battery.

So for now…

Good night from Mont Vernon.

Glad it all worked out well for you. We had lunch at LaPlaya yesterday and kind of looked from time to time to see if you would happen by. We had a couple of near misses in the car yesterday, almost wiped out a suicyclist in Marigot, so perhaps your thought was correct, about some reason not to go out!

Thanks for the report. Lesley is top notch!