The spicy pepperoni beef sticks were gone. So were the Corn Nuts. We pondered the teriyaki beef jerky beneath the sickly flicker of the florescent lights at the Break Time in Houston. I paused to make an entry in my journal/reporter’s notebook.

Dear Diary, It’s been 25 minutes since my last entry. Rescue no longer looks promising. It appears our Houston vacation will end right here in a minimart, less than 10 miles from the airport. More here.

Question: When were you last stranded on vacation by car trouble?