Singing the broken car blues
By Rose Simpson
Sometimes, you just can’t win.
Scott and I had a banner week, money-wise, with the Government of Canada finally realizing that we were poor, and we shouldn’t have to pay thousands of dollars in taxes. Hence, a couple of refunds came our way.
But in the $10 Life, you know you can’t win, so you don’t go out and spend this newly found money; you wait for the other shoe to drop — which it did today. Our new, old car is busted. Nick was driving a friend downtown, when it began to chug and it gave up entirely by the time he reached our driveway.
I don’t know what it will cost but my experience is anything to do with cars, you can expect a $600 bill. Minimum. It’s not just the money, but when I get a car that starts acting up, I stop driving it. Period. I never want to be stranded anywhere, never want to have to wait for the tow truck and give my last $75 to some grisly dude with oil all over his face.
I’d rather take the bus. Always the philosopher, Nick once remarked that he would never drive because when cars break down, you have to get them fixed, but when a bus breaks down, there’ll be another one around in twenty minutes. Good thinking on his part.
When I owned houses, I lived in fear that the plumbing would go, or the furnace, or some lively spirit would invade my house and I would have to pay, pay, pay. Now I rent and Roger has to pay when things break, and Roger is a friggin’ millionaire.
The only things I have now that can break are the computer and the dogs. I have two computers — I always keep a spare — and as for the dogs, well, I do a lot of praying. Gordie has already cost me $3,000 and $2,000 due to ill health, but I now have him on a proper diet and, so far so good. The dogs are getting older, and one day we will have to make the dreaded choices that pet owners fear, but until then, we live our lives.
Except for the damned car.
Scott’s getting it fixed at his dealership on Tuesday, as for me, point me to the bus station, and sign me up again. If my bus breaks down, I have nothing but time to waste on it.
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Rose Simpson
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