Not to steal any thunder from the OP......just wanted to share my story of how my car called to me.
I had been wanting a Mini for some time now (since around 2005). Every year I would go to the local Int'l Auto Show and sit in a Mini and dream of what it would be like to own one. I was driving a 2000 Pontiac Bonneville that I had bought used with 50,000 miles and was still making payments on. My partner and I also had another newer vehicle that will remain nameless since it was named one of the ugliest cars to ever hit the road. We had less than 10 months left to pay on it and so I started my plan of action. First thing was to get my credit squeaky clean so I could qualify for the best financing possible. It took me around 5 months to do, but I managed to get my credit score from 629, to 704 by myself. So the winter of 2007 sets in here and I get a call one night that our "newer" nameless automobile had been totaled in an accident. Insurance had given us waaaaaaay over the blue book value of the car considering it was discontinued after just 5 years of production. With the insurance money, we payed off the loan for that car, as well as payed of the loan for the Bonneville, and payed off some credit cards. Instead of running right down to the dealership, we waited. I knew that in January of 2008, the dealerships would mark down all remaining 2007 models as every dealership does. So weeks go by, long slow agonizing weeks! I must have built my dream Mini 5 times over on Mini's website, adding this, taking off that. The one thing that never changed, was the color. Friday night, January 11th, I go to bed as normal. Saturday morning I had woke up in the middle of a dream. I dreamt that I drove up to the dealership, got out of my car, walked to the entrance where I was greeted by a gentleman that said "Hi, how can I help you today?" I said, "I'm here to buy my Mini, but I want a female sales person." (Personal preference) He then extended his arm and led me to this beautiful, smiling, friendly woman, who got all of my details, and then pulled my car out from behind the building. I got woken up while I was cruising down the freeway .
So I wake up, pour a cup of coffee, smiling the entire time, and go sit on my front porch to wake up. My partner comes out some 20 minutes later to join me, looks at my face and says, "What's got you so smiley this morning?" I proceed to tell all about the dream that I had. I then ask "Can we go by the dealership today?" Next thing you know, some 2 hours later we're off to the dealership. We pull up and parked right behind this Beautiful 2007 Mellow Yellow S with dealership plates and I shout out in excitement "That's the car, that's the one I want!" "Yeah, but that one's got plates on it already" my partner replies. Just then a gentleman approaches me and says "Hi, is there something I can help you with?" I reply "I'm here to look at Mini's" "Oh, great" he replies "I'm in the middle of helping out another customer, but here comes Debby, and she'd be more than happy to assist you!" There she stood, the saleswoman in my dreams! My partner and I look at each other simotaneously and the hair on our necks stood full attention! She invites me inside and proceeds to ask me some questions. First thing she ask is which model I was looking for. I pointed to the lot and said "that one, the one that I'm parked behind, that's exactly like the one that I want." She replies "well, we don't have a Mellow Yellow in stock, but I can check around for you, but, wait a minute.....let me go and check on something, I'll be right back." She leaves for what seems to be an eternity, and when she returns, she has a smile from ear to ear and says "Looks like today is your lucky day...that Mellow Yellow one JUST came back to us today, It had been a demo and had 500 miles on it and was on loan to a shopping mall where it sat inviting people to buy a Mini!" The rest is history!
That was an indication to me that dreams REALLY DO COME TRUE!
Now if I can only have a dream about the lottery!

 

Oh yes... Another calling... It all just finds a way to work out doesn't it. No thunder stolen at all, I'm sure there are many more "Callings" folks can share!