Monday, April 07, 2008

It Could Have Been Worse

Last Friday I pulled into a shopping center to meet Em at the wicked awesome New England store Christmas Tree Shops and slowed to a stop behind a few other cars. Then I heard a LOUD grinding sound. Imagine running over a cement block and/or a tree stump. I put it in reverse and nothing happened. I got out of the car and noticed the right side of the car was low in the front. Differential Diagnosis: broken axle, flat tire, cracked flux capacitor. The wheel looked fine despite its funny angle and the fact that the whole car and wheel well rested on it. So I figured it was the axle, i.e. the thing the wheel is attached to got tired and wanted to rest on the ground.

The next few minutes are sponsored by Google and AAA. Since we didn't have the number for our mechanic, I utilized my new found tool 1-800-GOOG 411 and immediately was connected to my auto body shop (we found them during the telephone pole incident, or haven't you heard of that one). This was followed by a call to AAA who dispatched someone to tow my car leaving behind some large pieces of metal on the ground that I hoped the mechanic didn't want saved.

Anyway, to skip forward. The awesome mechanic Dave and his dad Jim (Both of whom Emily admittedly has a crush on) fixed out car in three days at a very low price! They rock! However I just await the next problem, especially because they wouldn't accept the car as payment. I offered to give them the car if I could drive it for the next three months instead of paying them. They didn't want it and hinted that it may not last three months!

Moral: People always say "It could have been worse."This is one time where I really did feel thankful that it happened when and where it did. Had it happened 5 minutes earlier on the freeway it would have been a horrible if not fatal crash.

7 comments:

Linz said...

Eeek!! I'm glad it didn't result in a crash too!! Sorry they didn't want the car hahaha! Maybe you could offer it as part of your house... you know "Buy this house, get a car!" Hmmm....

The Jonas Family said...

Car trouble always stinks! Goog is great though. I heard of it from you, but have not used it yet. And selling a house it tough. I know because ours is up for sale too. Good luck!

acte gratuit said...

In my defense, (I'm always defending myself against your slanderous attacks!) I said I have a "Mechanic Crush" on Jim Jr. That is entirely different from a regular crush! Because everyone is allowed to have a mechanic crush which in no way interfers with their husband crush.

And wouldn't YOU have a Mechanic Crush after a nice mechanic rescued you from a telephone-pole-squashed-Minivan?!?! I mean REALLY!!!

Warner clan said...

Sure glad you were okay!

Sara said...

Thanks to your old post we've used GOOG-411 several times. When do you guys move?

Bartimaeus said...

We move at the end of June.

FOX said...

Glad you're OK.

I am not familiar with the minivan/ telephone pole incident.

I am feeling that it is worthy of an additional post!!!!!!