My car apocalypse.

I brought my car in to have a coolant leak fixed, and the engine light was also on (it had been running a bit rough on-and-off for a while), so I had them look at that too. They said it was the catalytic converter and wanted like $3500 to fix it. So wanting to put it off, and figuring it would run for a while at least, I tell them to skip the repair.

My Dad ends up driving me in to pick it up, and he asks if I want him to stick around. Figuring things will be okay, I say, "nah." So of course the first thing that happens is the paper work isn't ready, and I'm there after all the service guys have gone for the day. I guess they slacked off on the paperwork when I told them earlier that I'd be there the next morning. Surprise! So that gets straightened out after half an hour, thanks to the help of a lovely coed, who is exceptional at her job, and I'm on my way.

I notice the car is running a bit rough, but I get off the main drag and onto a side-street that leads to my area. So I figure no problems. That's when the car begins going slower and slower no matter how hard I push on the gas pedal. And by the time I've been going 2mph for a block and a half, I decide that I'm just not going to make it. So I pull over, call the dealership--thank goodness I remembered my cell phone--and arrange a tow through a number they give me.

For the next forty-five minutes, I end up sunbathing in my car, while a hundred plus people whiz past from the local train station, no doubt wondering what the heck is up.

After all, I was stopped in kind of an odd place. It was by a line of trees and bushes across from a park. Thank god I wasn't wearing a trench coat or one of the cops that passed probably would have hauled me in.

So Ernie's Towing arrives and gets me back to the dealer, where I realize I'm either going to have to eat the cost of the repair and hope things stop going wrong with the vehicle or start thinking about a replacement. So, to keep a medium story medium, I end up going back the next day and getting one of their cheaper models.

I ended up with a basic Focus, which took a chunk out of my savings. On the positive side though, if I end up homeless, I'll have a newer car to live in at least. Ah . . . that new car smell. Also, they included the price of the coolant-leak fix in my trade-in value, so I didn't have to pay for that.

And it might be perfect timing--or fate is just messing with me--but I got a call back on my latest job application. The phone interview seemed to go okay, and now we're moving on to the next steps.

That reminds me, I need to get one of those big-and-not-so-tall suits to use for any potential interviews and my nephew's upcoming wedding. I'm thinking of getting one like Mr. Furley used to wear on Three's Company, hehe.