So, last weekend I got a flat tire. We (ok ok-mostly Todd, while Tina and I watched- I did a lovely job of cranking up the jack thank you very much) changed it out for the spare and I took it in to Firestone the next day for them to fix/replace it. I have road hazard on the things, I bought the tires from them, and that's where I always take them when I run over something which I tend to do quite a bit. The guy was an utter jerk and treated me like I didn't know my butt from a hole in the ground because I'm a woman and proceeded to tell me my car needs about $1300!! worth of repairs while I'm at it, some of which included a $40 oil change she wasn't due for, a $15 battery corrosion package(hello! coke!), and various other pumps and jim jammies replaced. I told him I'm not getting anything done but the tire. Anywho, today, I'm coming back from my last class of the day, and everything's going fine. I decide I don't want to go home because the weather is so bee-u-ti-full and so I was trying to get a signal on my dang phone that is about to kick the bucket to see if anyone would want to meet me for coffee. And so I am turning on to Summer and whoa nelly! I almost run in to oncoming traffic because I cannot turn my wheel. I am wondering,"what tha heck??" But I forcefully turn the thing and pull it in to the closest parking lot. By this time it dawned on me that my dang power steering had gone out. So I did what any girl of my nature would do when they aren't really sure what to do. I called dad. He asked if I could drive it, just as far to their house. And so I cranked her up (I noticed that was the second time I was able to use the expression"crank up" in this entry- sweet!) and hand over hand fully flexin, back her up, and pull her back on to Summer. Well........ I'm driving along (in a mostly straight line so that was good) and I see smoke emerging from my hood. This causes me to look at my temperature gauge and sure nuff'- I'm overheating! Yay! I start praying at this point, "Please just let me make it home. Please Bessie, just make it home. C'mon old Bessie. You can do it." She's a' smokin' and a' boilin' acting all fussy but I made it to mom and dad's........where we proceed to pop the hood and take a peek. Ok, my serpentine belt is just dangling, there's some random pulley wedged in between metal, and my water is boiling. "Hmmm, not good." I think. And then I thought to call Firestone and chew them out for messing with my levers and pullies without my permission(please ask, thank you very much) and got so stinkin' mad, I thought it might be better for dad to do it. Well, he called them and told them the story. Of course, they simply "performed a totally visual only test. We couldn't have caused it." How the devil would they have known all that $1300 was wrong with it just from looking at it I'd like to know! But he was nice-ish and said "alright then." and hung up. And so now, I am stuck at mom and dad's with no car writhing in my anger. And so in the words of the girl from Saturday Night Live........."I think my feelings could best be expressed in a song by No Doubt"
Cause I'm just a girl, little ol' me
Don't let me out of your sight
I'm just a girl, all pretty and petite
So don't let me have any rights
Oh....I've had it up to here!
The moment I step outside
So many reasons for me to run and hide
I can't do the little things I hold so dear
Cause' it's all those little things that I fear
Cause I'm just a girl, I'd rather not be
Cause' they won't let me drive my stupid car
without telling me there's $1300 worth of stuff wrong with it
and just fix my dang tires
Cause' I'm just a girl, guess I'm some kind of freak
Cause they all sit and stare with their eyes
I'm just a girl, take a good look at me
Just your typical prototype
Oh....I've had it up to here!
Oh....am I making myself clear??
