Bank and Cars

I thought I was done getting all my identification papers for Brazil but I was wrong. So today I went to the bank to get some financial papers in order so I can go to the Federal Police again on Friday. I was picked up at the Pousada, where I live and we were off to the bank or at least I thought. The car was making some strange noises. I noticed that the gasoline light was on. I said that the car needed gas in Portuguese. We went to the gas station and the car ran out of gas in the parking lot at the gas station. We were waiting in a line for the gas pump. Oh yeah, did I tell you the battery died too. We finally got enough gas in the car and someone helped us get the car going again. We drove the car to my language school where we picked up the Partridge's van from like 1960. I thought great we are exchanging a lemon car for the oldest van I have seen in years. However, it did get us to the bank.

Now, the bank...
If you have heard my stories about the metal detectors, they are not my friends. I am always checked and rechecked to see if I am carrying some type of weapon because my artificial leg has metal in it. The bank has a metal detector. So I empty out my purse with my keys and cell phone and I forgot about my leg. I walked through the metal detector. It is a revolving door. All the sudden the door stops, I am trapped. The metal detector is going off. Great! I come back through the way I came and told the security guard that I had an artificial leg. I am envisioning crazy things happening but guess what Brazilians are more gracious than when I get stopped at the airport or somewhere in the US. They said ok and let me through..no strip search or anything! I even got to go in the handicap line and I got out of the bank in like 20 minutes. Can you believe it? It is unheard of to get in and out of the bank that quickly here. Praise God! We ran out of gas in the gas station parking lot and I got out of the bank in 20 minutes. I even enjoyed the Partridge's van and spoke in some Portuguese!