Lately
Decided to go for a drive last weekend. I had work to do and thought a quick trip north before I got started, through country I've never seen, with all the windows down and the stereo at full volume, might be invigorating. And it was...until, without the slightest prior hint of trouble, my brake line ruptured. Fortunately, I was able to avoid an accident--but I wasn't entirely sure where I was, and filling my gas tank had left me with $9 in the bank until Tuesday. Turned out I was near the midpoint between home and Canada--in Auburn, NY--and getting a tow wasn't going to be easy. First I had to have my mother wire me money (and thank the goddesses she happened to have cash on hand to lend me). Then I called a tow truck and waited. And waited. And waited. They'd forgotten to take my number, and I'd forgotten to give it, so there was no way for them to let me know that their driver had been detained by the FBI. He'd unwittingly picked up a mother and child the previous night for whom an Amber Alert had been been issued, and the authorities needed his help tracking them down. (Seriously. If I could make this shit up, I'd probably have a Pulitzer by now.) He did, and the little girl was safely recovered, but in the meantime, all I could do was sit on the curb, politely thank the Muses for their generosity, and kindly request that they turn their attentions to someone else. I argued that I had quite enough material by now to see me through at least half a dozen books--but they remained unconvinced, and sent along a driver who jacked the price of my ride up $40 to $189. (Bad cell phone connection when he obtained the original quote from his boss.)
Monday morning I learned the brake job would cost $715--extra if I wanted to make out first or cuddle afterward. A month ago that would have been devastating. This month it just means I'll have to keep looking for that elusive free/cheap dish drying rack to replace the towels on my kitchen counter. Things could be so much worse. ;-)
