Cartoon by Ty Marshal
I was driving PB up to Blue Lake Fine Arts camp and was in Whitehall a couple block from the Motel after driving for 4 hours--I was in the left turn lane getting ready to turn as soon as the light changed, and a puff of smoke came out of the vents and the car died and wouldn't start. PB had to keep jumping out to tell people my car was dead. Someone yelled at me that I should have my 4-ways on--I did! (He couldn't see them, PB said, because he was too close in a tall SUV), anyway he said he'd get help and a cop came and he called a "wrecker" and the guy listened while I tried to start my car and said, "I hope you're ready for a new car" and towed me to a garage for $60 and they said they couldn't even look at it for several days.
The reason I drove PB up was because GM is threatening to lay off 159 more people in BB's department in July and maybe the rest in September so BB wanted to work while he could but now he's on his way up.
We got a ride to the motel with the tow guy but the cab was so small we could only take a little with us. Later I walked a half hour back and forth to get my CPAP and other stuff.
Meanwhile, we need to get PB to camp by 9 tomorrow.
The guy at the garage said it looked and sounded BAD, but then added it could be something simple, like a belt.
After two different "experts" told me my car was "junk" and I needed to be "ready for a new one," and after much discussion on the phone, BB drove up 4 hours and arrived late last night and drove PB to Blue Lake and stood in the rain working on my car in the parking lot of the garage who "wouldn't be able to get to it for several days" and fixed it!
What happened is that the air conditioner seized up and froze and was on the same belt as the alternator which then stopped feeding juice to the battery which then died. Because it was raining, I was running the lights, windshield wipers, blowers etc. This killed the battery and then I had no ignition. BB fixed it, jumped it, and I have driven safely all the way home. I had two stressful days, but I am home safe.
If BB wasn't around, those guys were trying to talk me into another car. $100 for mine!
Were they crooks? Or ignorant? Or? I don't know, but anyway, my car is running again, minus air conditioning and I can DRIVE PLACES!
It was much cheaper than a new car, but not exactly "cheap." The belt was cheap, of course, relatively speaking, BUT BB had to take a day off work (and he just LOSES that pay) and drive 8 hours!
But we are very grateful as it could have been much much worse.
What happened is that the air conditioner seized up and froze and was on the same belt as the alternator which then stopped feeding juice to the battery which then died. Because it was raining, I was running the lights, windshield wipers, blowers etc. This killed the battery and then I had no ignition. BB fixed it, jumped it, and I have driven safely all the way home. I had two stressful days, but I am home safe.
If BB wasn't around, those guys were trying to talk me into another car. $100 for mine!
Were they crooks? Or ignorant? Or? I don't know, but anyway, my car is running again, minus air conditioning and I can DRIVE PLACES!
It was much cheaper than a new car, but not exactly "cheap." The belt was cheap, of course, relatively speaking, BUT BB had to take a day off work (and he just LOSES that pay) and drive 8 hours!
But we are very grateful as it could have been much much worse.
The first cartoon is by Ty Marshall and the second one is by me. If you click on them, you can view them larger.
2 comments:
I've found people up here to be very friendly and sociable. I think I'm going to be more careful from now on. You shouldn't need the air for awhile, we even have the heat on:Southerners you know.
It is nice and cool today, thank goodness. I get hot at a lower temperature than you do, probably.
Enjoy your visit! :-D
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