Warning: Careful with the battery acid

Okay, I promised I would share another embarrassing story. For those of you who have read the Biker Chic, you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't read it you can A) click on the link B) just keep on reading here.

I was 21. I had spent the New Year's weekend at a youth conference with my best friend and two guys (don't even remember their names... Yikes, again that "blocked out of my memory kind of thing") The conference was in Sweden and we were going back to Norway. (8 hour drive)

My car had had some problems on our trip, but the nameless guys had taken care of it. Now everything seemed to work fine. We were laughing and just excited to get home. My friend and I sat in the backseat (in my car... go figure)

I was AGAIN wearing a maxi skirt, not black this time. I was out of the Madonna face and more into bohemian romantic at this time....

We had been driving for a long time and finally we saw the boarder between Sweden and Norway. We decided to do a quick stop at the gas station. I said I would get everyone an ice cream and ran inside.

I spotted the ice cream freezer. I leaned over and looked at the choices. Over at the cash registry a big group of young guys were talking and laughing wildly. I didn't pay them much attention, since my focus was now completely on the ice cream!

It's not easy to chose between so many different flavors and it took me a couple of minutes to make my mind up. The group of young men were still over at the other side of the station now completely cracking up. Unconsciously I went to pull down my sweater a little bit in the back when I noticed - WHERE WAS MY SKIRT?

My hand frantically tried to figure out what was going on back there... I felt a HUGE hole in my skirt - and my pantyhose... I could feel my cotton underwear. Throwing the ice cream back into the freezer and desperately trying to cover up my exposed butt, I ran out of the gas station just casting a glimps over at the young men that were now almost keeling over and pointing at me!

Outside the gas station there were plenty of cars and I headed over towards my ride. At this time the idiot guys with no names that were driving MY car decided to "play" with me by accelerating the second my hand touch the door handle. They drove about 50 yards and I ran after yelling for them to stop. When I finally came over, they pulled that same stupid stunt again! Here I was, running around the gas station, with an exposed bum sticking out of my frigging skirt!

When they finally stopped I was bawling! Yes, crying my eyes out like a little girl. The guys looked at me with surprise and then they saw my skirt. Their eyes widened and they went silent. I was now trying to regain some dignity (a little late) and said that I had no clue how half my skirt had evaporated. The two guys mumbled something that I didn't really understand. Neither of them looked me in the eye. "What did you say?" I asked trying to grasp the meaning. "We changed the battery and left the old battery in the backseat. The battery acid must have poured out of it and soaked up your seat..." GREAT! I had been sitting in battery acid for 5 hours!

Lessons learned:

1. Battery acid will MELT your synthetic skirt and your panty hose - if you're lucky it won't melt your cotton underwear!

2. When people are laughing behind your back, check if your butt is exposed

3. If you find yourself at a gas station with an exposed butt, DO NOT run after your car yelling. This will only attract more attention. Stay put with your behind against the wall until the stupid adolescent nitwits decide this is not a fun game.

4. I have found out that baking soda will neutralize battery acid - always carry baking soda! Sprinkle it around areas that might have been exposed.

5. Don't fret when you are totally humiliated - it'll make for a fun post on your blog 20 years later!