Road Trip

Oh, the last 24 hours have truly sucked.

I was on my way to the gym last night when a gentleman on the interstate gestured that I should roll down my window.

So you know I did right?

He yells at me, "You have no brake lights."

Me, "Huh? Oh SHIT!"

Because you know this is Labor Day weekend and I'm heading to N.O. on Thursday night and a 4.5 hour trip on any interstate, AT NIGHT, just isn't safe.

So, I got off interstate and wound my way back home. Where I proceeded to get at least 12 silipillion mosquito bites while testing my fuses.

Which, in a way, was kind of cool.

I know it sounds silly, but I like the fact that I'm not afraid to just start messing around with my car. After eliminating a fuse problem, I started checking my bulbs.

Now, I didn't figure they had all gone out at once. I mean, it was possible (infinitesimaly) but unlikely. It turns out I did have one blown bulb. Which, I changed because, you know - it's easy.

To which my dad said, "Maybe it's like Christmas lights. If one goes out then they all go out."

I had about ten minutes on dad on that one as it was the first thing that I had thought, too (Great minds and all that we are.) So I said to him, "You know, I thought the same thing only I realized there's no way an automobile engineer would design a car that way. It would be too dangerous. They'd just be waiting on the lawsuits to start pouring in."

He said, "Yeah, you've got a good point."



So, I called in late this morning and drove my car to Broadway's Automotive in Montgomery, AL (Yeah, that is such a shameless plug but these dudes know what they are doing.)

I walked in and said, "I have no brake lights."

The guy behind the counter asked me, "Is your shift locking up on you? Are you having to release it in order to take it out of park?"

Me, "Funny you should ask. I've had to use my key in the Shift Lock Release for few days now."

Guy, "Sounds like your Brake Light Switch. Now, that's just an armchair diagnosis but that's what I'm thinking."

An hour and a half later that was exactly what was wrong with it to the tune of $130.

Which, is great because this means I can leave as scheduled! Only, I'm still a little screwed since I slept a total of three hours last night because I kept worrying over this whole thing with the car. I didn't even pack (which, in hindsight was dumb, dumb, dumb) because I didn't figure I'd be able to leave on Thursday night.

How to have fun with your mechanic:

I sat there for quite a while and at one point, just before I got my bill actually, two of the guys in the office started singing along, and rocking out, to some old classic rock song. Then a third guy walks in, gives them the, "Ya'll are crazy!" look and they all laugh.

Singer 1 says, "Come on, we have a lady in here who was about to pull out her lighter and bandana . . . "

Me, looking up slowly from the Time magazine in my lap, "I was thisclose to taking off my bra and throwing it up on the counter actually."

All three guys stare at me in open-mouthed silence.

I went back to reading my magazine and slowly each one of them started to laugh.

Then, I'm called up to pay and I ask the guy (Singer 2), "Seriously, if I DO take my bra off will you consider lowering the price."

Today, I made my mechanic blush.

UPDATE:
I got a call from the guys at Broadway's and they were calling to let me know that when they totalled my bill they accidentally overcharged me for labor.

I'm totally going in there braless next time!