The Eagle CPA Ultimate Nerd Podcast

Running out of gas

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Running out of gas

“We can get you a gallon of gas. We aim to please.” Alan - MDOT Courtesy Technician

Sean Dowd, CPA

Mar 13, 2022

Written and voiced by Sean Dowd, CPA

What’s this all about?

I would wonder how people could run out of fuel in their vehicle. It just seems like such an obvious thing to avoid.

There is this gauge that tells you approximately how much gas you have left. Many times lights and bells will give additional signals indicating that it is suggested the vehicle navigate to the nearest service station. Even if those gauges aren’t working and you’re aware of it, you can measure distance or time.

Despite knowing I needed gas when I left the restaurant, I was preoccupied.

I’m surprised we made it as far as we did.

We were humming along westbound 96 when all of a sudden the vehicle shuddered. The engine stopped.

Now I remember what I was supposed to do.

Get gas.

Emily in the passenger seat, the kids sat behind us. Everyone was confused. Concerned. Irritated.

As the cars whipped by we coasted as far as we could. One less 100 yards I might have to walk. Exit 133 was still 1.5 miles away. I ran through the options.

Thank God for cell phones.

A tow truck would arrive shortly with $125 worth of gas. $25 per gallon. Tax, delivery, dispensing included. I could have walked. I just didn’t want to leave my family and I wasn’t about to make them walk

I sat there and contemplated the situation. A previously held prejudice disappeared.

I stared into the side view mirror. I saw flashing yellow lamps. For us?

Nope. Wide load.

Then another set of yellow flashers. But it wasn’t a tow truck. It was a van.

MDOT Courtesy Patrol.

I watched the highway custodian move around in the cab for a minute. His gloves were fluorescent orange. Then he got out, walked up to us and asked “What seems to be the trouble?”

I replied “We called for a tow. We ran out of gas.”

“We can get you a gallon of gas! We aim to please.”

We canceled the tow.

The government just provided me with a $125 stimulus in the form of 1 gallon of gas.

Thanks Gammy.

Thanks Alan.

Thanks State of Michigan.

Be grateful for the little things.

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The Good stuff:

It’s been a little over a week since Mom/ Gammy passed on.

I was spending last weekend at a conference. Not work, but personal development/ discovering in nature. That’s where I was when I got the call.

The first thing I did was find my friends. They were praying for a different outcome. They were in the main banquet room listening to a talk. I shuffled passed the seated people of our row and sat next to Jim, one of my mentors. I shook my head as I moved past him in response to his questioning gaze.

As I sat down he reached over and pulled me in for a hug.

He’s a hugger, but there are times when hugging is almost a warranted response to a situation.

Jess stood outside my cube. I just found out I passed the last test of the CPA exam.

She said, “I just want to hug you!”

“You can hug me if you want.”

Being one of the sweetest colleagues I’ve ever had the joy to get to know she gave me a hug. She knew how much work was required for this accomplishment.

A few weeks earlier her grandma had passed away. She came to my cube to share the news. All I could do was extend my hand slightly with my own yearning to embrace her in sadness.

I didn’t.

I’m a complicated person.

Even before Covid, hugging is sometimes taboo. It’s okay to ask if you can hug and it’s okay to give permission to hug.

I’ve been fortunate to have been given at a minimum a week for bereavement at work. I know if I need more time they would give it to me without question.

With all the ways we can measure costs, the intangible variable just comes down to treating people how you would like to be treated. Treating communities how you would like to be treated. Treating your families how you would like to be treated.

So many people have reached out and notified us of their prayers. That helps a lot. People have called to check in. People have bought us dinner.

I’ve been sending coffee gift cards to people like it was my job through email and text message.

I sent one to the first responder who shared with me the news of my moms passing. I told him he’s now my friend. Hopefully that wasn’t crossing some line.

But I’m not sure what to think of a world where you can’t share a cup of coffee with someone as a form of just saying thanks for being there.

Peace and love.

I’m a hypocrite many times.

I talk love and tolerance. But sometimes I get angry.

For the sake of discretion, I’ll just share the following with limited information.

If you’re tasked with calling the bereaved regarding their loved ones death certificate, know what’s on the document you wish to discuss.

Don’t be in a rush to get to lunch and see the opportunity to cross a quick task off your list.

In my profession I live for compliance. But no one is going to die if my tax return isn’t in compliance. My mother was not a tax return.

Take care of your health.

My mom loved animals. She had a number of dogs through the course of her life. Her last dog was confiscated from a hoarding situation. My mom loved to tell people “she’s a rescue.”

Lola was her name. It took a few weeks of evaluating the pack, but Lola eventually figured out my mom was the alpha. If my Mom went somewhere without Lola, this dog would suffer serious depression.

We nearly lost mom nine years ago. She had a severe case of pneumonia. She pulled through it and we were able to have a few more years with her.

I forgot we were already on borrowed time. While she recovered we took care of Lola. Besides when she would be let out or would eat something this dog never got off the couch.

She would just stare at the door. She adored my Mom as much as a dog can adore a human. After they were reunited they were pretty much inseparable.

Lola passed away last summer.

Mom took it hard.

We thought about getting her a cat. I told her to get a pug, since I’ve wanted one ever since seeing a movie with a pug in it. Her concern was if she passed away who would take care of the pet.

I mentioned a few posts ago about pedestals. All I can say is that at the end of my life I hope I have multiple things to keep me going. I still have time to be proactive with my health.

I’ve been sleeping a lot. But I need to snap out of it to some degree.

My mom was trying. But dialysis is hell. She’s not the only one I’ve known who hated the task it presents.

But I’m not sure it was just kidney failure, heart disease and COPD that caused my mothers death.

Fear had a big role to play.

Fear of politicians, Covid, and Russia.

My mom was tougher than that.

She might not have learned about professional skepticism. She might not have learned that a title says a lot, but it doesn’t say everything.

In honor of my mother we’ve done two things. We asked in her memory you consider contributing to the Capital Area Humane Society.

We also took a trip to the Detroit Zoo.

There is a pretty “cool” penguin exhibit. It’s relatively new. The animals that were notable that day were the penguins, otters and the wolverines. The wolverines were the most active animals. The crisp 30 degree Fahrenheit weather was probably akin to a nice spring day by their standards.

What do you like to do for fun?

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