Traditionally, I’ve never been much of a scarf wearer. However, when my big sis started knitting, I got jealous of every else’s handmade scarves and asked her to make one for my Christmas present. She did and I immediately fell in love with it. I never knew the back of my neck could be so warm. I had no idea how much warmer in general my chin and torso could be when I’m out and about in cold weather. This was a couple of years ago. I’ve dutifully worn my scarf every day the temperature dips below 45 since. This past Friday I discovered a new use for my scarf.

Thursday night an ice storm blew through encasing Batesville in a thin shell of ice. By Friday morning the precipitation had evolved into snow, and after accidentally sighing loudly while looking out the window at work, my boss sent me home around ten in the morning so I could drive to Memphis before the proposed eight inches of snow accumulated. Before getting out of town I had to fill my gas tank. This how it happened:

1. Pull into gas station. Get out of car.
2. Put credit card into thingy and turn to open gas cap.
3. Realize new car (thanks again mom) has gas lid opener lever inside.
4. Open door, push dog back, pull lever, close door.
5. Go back to the pump. Notice lid still closed.
6. Open door, push dog back, pull lever again, close door.
7. Go back to the pump. Notice lid still closed.
8. Realize latch must be frozen due to aforementioned ice storm.
9. Open door, shove dog back, pull lever forcefully, close door.
10. Go back to the pump. Realize lid is not going to open.
11. Try to pry lid open with finger nails. Wince and stop.
12. Try to pry lid open with car keys. No luck.
13. Think maybe I loosened it.
14. Open door, shove dog back, pull lever again, close door.
15. Go back to the pump. No luck.
16. Wedge keys into crack in lid.
17. Open door, wrestle dog back, pull lever, hear keys drop, close door.
18. No luck.
19. Wedge keys even further into crack in lid.
20. Open door, wrestle dog back, pull lever, hear keys drop, close door.
21. Still no luck.
22. Try to pry lid open with keys.
23. Measure arm span and discover it woefully to short to reach both lever and lid at the same time.
24. Consider trying to pull lever with foot.
25. Try to pry lid open with keys.
26. Open door, fight dog back, take off scarf.
27. Realize Sarah’s expert craftswomanship made scarf too tightly knitted to fit lever into gap in yarn.
28. Try anyway. Fail.
29. Fight dog back again.
30. Fold scarf in half, loop fold around lever.
31. Walk carefully back to tank with scarf ends in hand, yelling at dog to stay.
32. Dig keys into crack, pull on scarf, cheer in excitement as lid pops open.
33. Put scarf back on, close door, pump gas.

Thanks Sarah. I couldn’t have done it without you.