This Monday was an uglier Monday than I have had the pleasure of facing down in a long time.
My car has not been in the best of health for some time. It is an old car. I have had it since the second Wednesday in September of 2001. I have been fortunate with this little Toyota. It has only ever required new tires (several sets over the years...it is what I get for buying cheaper tires), front brakes, and as recent as last month a motor mount. It has never cost me more than a few hundred dollars at time. That is until today.
We were going to take her in for a grinding noise that we could not narrow down to one specific problem. I had hoped the motor mount would fix the problem and it seemed like it had for about a week. Then the noise came back with a vengeance. Luckily (or so I thought at the time) I did not need to be into work today until noon. This is not a normal start time and I was very grateful for the late start. I got up early and called the garage. They said I could drop it off right away. I was grateful. I thought I had good fortune and would be able to nip the problem in the bud before it cost me an arm and leg. I really have to do something about this optimistic streak I have. It only leads me down a path to trouble.
The man works second shift so I had a ride to work. I also had a ride from work thanks to the incredibly giving nature of my coworkers (luckily several of them live near me). The snow on the road this spring morning was not bad at all, so the weather was not an obstacle. I also thought this was a lucky stroke.
As we started off down the road to the garage, which is only a mile from my home, my luck ran out. The car gave one last loud grinding screech and would not budge one inch further. We could not even get it to engage in neutral so we could push it off the side of the road. We left it with flashers on and an old white Burger King bag hanging out of its window (hey, don't judge me) two blocks from my home. We had it towed to the garage (one mile of towing is apparently worth seventy five dollars). I went to work and fretted most of the day as I waited for the verdict.
The verdict came in about a grand more than I was fretting it would. Now I am fretting over where the money is going to come from. I am also fretting how bad of a mood the man will be in and for how long he will maintain it. We are already financially strained. My education has put a burden on our household. My two jobs do not pay well, part of why we are financially strained. We have a terminally ill dog, another reason we are broke but I will give up eating to make sure she is comfortable in her final months. All of this has had the man already tense and anxious over money. This car of mine is putting him over the edge I am afraid. While I cannot see a way around our current predicament, I can't blame him for wanting to blame me for all of his troubles.
Luckily I have good friends and coworkers so the one thing I don't have to worry about it getting to and from work the rest of the week. I just hate putting others out to help me out. I will have to think of something good to make in order to repay their kindness.
I just have one more thing to brood about; when did my life turn into a bad country and western song? Seriously, my vehicle is broke down, my dog is dying, I am flat broke, my man is angry...and there is no beer in my fridge.
Well played Monday. Well played.
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