that's it.. i'm selling my car.

last week:
the car service light went on so i did my homework... called ten different volvo mechanics in the city to ask for a quote on a 90k mile service. the cheapest was $530. soooo expensive but i didn't have a ton of options.

7:25am:
i dropped my car off on my way to work so i was wearing a dress and heals, which is never a good idea when walking into a mechanic shop. i always get the "she knows nothing about cars / we should take advantage of her" look.

12:40pm:
[the expected mid afternoon call]
"it will be another $150 for x, y, and z."
"hmm. and this is absolutely necessary?"
"yes, mam!"
"okay... i guess. go for it."

around 5:20pm:
i rush to pick up my car and the mechanic was clearly on his way out. usually i get some sort of chatty character telling me about what they did and why it costs so much, etc etc. nope, none of that. as i'm walking to my car i say "did you notice anything wrong when you start the car? cause sometimes it takes me a while to start it... i'm not sure if it's the battery?" [some questions and answers were asked here but i don't remember them...] then he responds, "oh no it wouldn't be the battery. but if it gets worse, make an appointment and come back and see us." "okay, thanks so much!" and i drive away really thinking "thanks so much for taking $700 out of my wallet that i never really had in the first place. grrrr."

5:30pm:
i park on the street and run into petco to get elvis some dry food. the vet said he can have "baby cat" brand food. cute, huh? okay, not really but everything about this little guy is cute.

5:42pm:
i put my key in the ignition and nothing. my car doesn't start. [FREAK OUT. ANGER. (in an actually calm, unlike emily way. i'm really maturing, i think to myself at one point.)]

5:43pm:
i call my only friend in the city who has a car but he's working until 8pm. tears start coming down and i'm so frustrated. then i had to call and cancel my personal training appointment, which by the way, i was actually looking forward to. and then, from here on out, all i could think about was my hungry kitten and how i couldn't get home to feed him.

6:32pm:
AAA finally comes. "that will be $140 for a new battery. but, between you and me, you can go two blocks up the street and get a battery for half the price." "really?! and then i can give you twenty bucks to put it in for me?" "yes, mam! just go get the battery and meet me back here in twenty minutes. i have to go change a tire for someone up the street." "okay!"

6:47pm:
"the total for your battery with tax comes to $116.09" "you have got to be kidding me?" [$116.09 + the twenty i'm about to give the AAA guy = saving me $3.91!!!!!!!!!!!] "no, but if you bring in your dead battery, i can give you ten bucks back." "okay" i say in a molly-mopes-a-lot way. "did you need some help out to your car?" "no, i can handle it" [never having lifted a car battery before] he laughed at me and gave me the "i've gotta see this" look. of course, i couldn't carry it to the cash register so i arranged to pick it up in ten.

6:58pm:
call to my brother who, of course, says he'll put in my car battery in exchange for nothing. he loves his poor little sister.

7:01pm:
"sorry larry, my brother says i have to save my money and let him put in my battery. can i have a jump so i can get home?" "of course, but know that those high heals are going to only get you so far in life." [what the hell does that mean?!] i awkwardly laugh and say thanks...

7:16pm:
as i am turning left to pull into my driveway the car dies. i'm in the middle of the road. one of the people working on the house has to jump the car, not once but twice and it never really makes it in the garage.

7:44pm:
one of the ukrainian painter boys comes out and changes the battery and goes on and on about how i was ripped off and should get my money back [all this in a thick accent]. i tried to tell him he wasn't helping, in a nice way of course.

7:52pm:
elvis finally gets fed.

$816.09 later...