Yeah, really, there's about always something more that could go wrong. As of late, I haven't been too sure about that, though.
Yesterday afternoon, my check engine light came on. The temperature seemed a little bit higher than usual. Made arrangements with my boss to not work and take it to the dealer first thing this morning. Cool? Cool. Or so I thought. One of my buddies wanted to hang out and needed a ride from work. Aight, it's only like 2 miles to his work, and his house is on the way back to mine. I can do that. On the way there, nothing seemed too wrong, and I was on the phone with daddy, so I didn't notice too much.
So, I went into his work to make sure that he was done and stuff, and when we came back out, he asked me why I left my car running. "Haha, ok."
"Do you seriously not hear that?"
"Oh. That's bad."
(hold down #2.)
"Daddy ... ?"
So, daddy tells me what I already know: take it to the dealer first thing in the morning. So, I plan to drop Boogie off and then park it and baby it up to Edmond in the morning.
About a mile late, about 5 idiot lights start flashing, and the temperature guage whirled past the bad-bad edge of the red into the superhot blackness past the red.
"Oh, $h!t."
So, I pulled it off the road and killed it.
And started digging through the glovebox for the roadside assistance number.
And digging.
(2...)
"Daddy .. ?"
....
So I called Saturn, and they got a tow-truck on the way. Oh, and meanwhile, my favorite local Bethany officer pulls up behind us. Yay.
Eventually, it cooled off a bunch, and the towtruck was STILL not there. Boogie needed to get home, so I figured I'd just get it towed from his house. Supposedly, when your car's getting hot, your turn the heat on full blast and it helps it cool, right? So, I didn't want it blowing on me, so I turned the defrost on full blast. Then, I started to notice little freezing spots on the windshield that kept getting bigger. So, I put it on my feet. It felt good to have air that's colder that normal AC blowing on my feet when it was 80* and muggy as heck outside.
But then I remembered that I had the heat on.
Oops.
Apparently, Boogie's dad's a mechanic. So, we got there and popped the hood, and started poking around. You know that one big bottle that's supposed to be full of coolant. With a radiator cap on top? It was, uhm, bone dry. So, we filled it up with the hose. And started it. And listened. Then Boogie sr. got a flashlight out of the truck, and instructed Boogie jr. to put the hose in the hole. And we listened. And then started looking ... at the water spurting out the back of the engine.
Eventually, the towtruck got there, and I got to ride the vue up the ramp, and one of my other friends picked me up and took me back to my house. Since the dealer was closed, as this was taking place after 10PM, they towtruck driver was to keep the Vue locked up overnight and deliver it to the dealer at opening: 8AM.
Oh dear. The problem becomes how I'm going to (1) get back to my bed (2) and how I'm going to get to the dealer to get my loaner.
Hmm.
Riiing
"Hello?"
"Hey, are you busy?"
"I just finished watching a show and have to take my friends home. What's wrong?"
"Uhm, remember how I was going to take my car to the dealer in the morning?"
"Yeah, where is it?"
"I'm waving goodbye, and it's rolling away, and turning the corner ..."
"Uh oh."
"So, I was wondering if you might want to pick me up from my friend's house and take my back to my apartment, and then maybe get up bright and early 3 hours before you have to work to come pick me up again and take me up to Edmond to the dealer?"
"Ok. I'll drop my friends off. Where'm I going?"
"You're amazing."
This morning, 8 rolled around, so I called the dealer to see about getting the loaner covered in my warranty. Of course, they want a non-working vue in exchange for a working something. Anything. But, alas, no extra Vue with Washington plates. So, I called Larry and said that I wouldn't be needing that ride. Awesome friend that he is, he reminded me to call if I needed anything else." <3
I looked up the tow company's number and gave them a shout. Apparently, the vue was still there and they were waiting on a flatbed to get it to the dealer. At this point, I'm still exhausted from the night before, so I head back to bed to take a nap. The dealer had my number and was supposed to call as soon as the keys were in the dealer's hand. My phone was right next to me and on loud.
3 hours later: "Caaaalifornia, rest in" "Hello? (fake-awake-sounding-from-dead-asleep-voice.)"
(Thiiiiink! Who's that voice calling me?!?!?!? WHO!?!?!)
"Hey Cat. How are things going with the car?"
(Ahhh. The boss-man.)
(nsert lengthy explanation here. Boss-man last knew that car was still drivable, hadn't been told by boss-lady about the events of the late night/morning.)
Ok, girl, stay in contact and let me know what happens.
Call dealer. No vue.
Call tow company. Vue just left.
Half an hour later, about 11:45: Call dealer: vue rolling off truck. (Good news! Still pushable! That's something.)
I inquire about the loaner that my extended warranty covers. Mr. Jake, now far too familiar with the Washington girl with the dead Vue, says that none of the service loaners are on the premise.
WHAT?!?!?! "Please tell me that I'm going to have wheels, unless you'd like to pick me up at 6AM on Monday for school, Jake, dear."
Apparently, If I could find a car to rent through enterprise, then I would be in luck. Yay, then I didn't have to worry about how to get to the dealer! (Reference commercials: Pick enterprise! We'll pick you up!)
Great. Google enterprise, okc-> find location. Oh, schnikes. IT's 11:50. Every location listed closes at noon, because it's a Saturday. Awesome.
It's worth a shot, right? Right.
Dialed up the first number I could find, who reminded me that he closed in 8 minutes. I gave him the Cliff's notes of my situation, and begged. He said that I was in luck, that the Saturn dealer at the airport is open until 11:30 PM. SCORE. Little, but at last, something going my way.
I dial up Mr. Airport Enterprise-rent-a-car-we'll-pick-you-up. "Yeah, we've got cars in stock, and can do that. You're 25, right?"
"Absolutely. In 5 years."
(Oh, please, no. nononono. Please no! Noooooo.)
"The vehicle is in your name, miss?"
"No, my parents'."
"You could have your parents take the rental car and drive one of theirs."
"Awesome. So, you guys take care of the star-trek style beaming your loaner car halfway across the continent and their car back across?"
"What?"
"My parents live 2200 miles away. I am absolutely on my own."
"You're screwed."
"DO WHAT? You're not allowed to tell me that."
"Actually, if you have full coverage insurance that transfers to a rental, then you can rent it, as long as you're 18."
"K bye, I'll call you back."
10 seconds elapse.
Ring-ring.
"Hello darling daughter"
"Daaaddy!"
"Take a deep breath, I can't understand you."
(Uh oh. It's never good when she's calls sobbing too hard to understand."
"Ican'tgetacartodriveunlesstheinsuranceisfullcoverageandtransferabletoaloanerIwon'tbeableto
gettoschoolandthenIwon'tbeabletotakemytestandthenI'mgoingtofailoutofcollege."
"Slow down, Catherine, I can't understand you."
(Take a breath!)
"I-know-the-insurance-is-full-coverage-but-I-can-only-get-a-loaner-if-it's-transferable-to-a-loaner"
"I still can't understand you."
"Daddy, the insurance. It hasta be transferable to a rental, or I can't get a car, and I can't check it."
"Ok, I'll call you back."
A very tense 2.5 min.
"Hello."
"Yes, daughter, it's transferable."
"I LOVE YOU DADDY"
Call enterprise back. Remeber how enterprise picks you up? Well, only the neighborhood locations do that. The airport one is SPECIAL. And doesn't. Insert another phone call here. Same awesome friend that picked me up at midnight last night shows up at my door an hour later to get my butt to the airport. On his lunch-that-he-doesn't-actually-get, because they don't take official lunches on Saturday.
Yay.
So, now I have a little red Stratus. At least it's a v-6. And the stereo is definitely better-sounded than the Vue. Although probably slightly less abused.
