To elaborate on my car...

Earlier today I scheduled an appointment to take my baby to Meineke. Yes, she's my baby. My big fat butch-dyke Volkswagen, Helda, is ill. The guys there know me, know me well. Know that I'm in college, that I'm an "older" student, and that I live off of my student aid by my own decision. So, the head mechanic, who is the only one who works on my car, came to me, and I knew the news wasn't good. I was assuming a leaky belt or clamp or maybe even the water pump. Worse. I have a cracked head gasket, broken pressure valve gasket, and my car had been spewing oil and antifreeze for a few months. The guys understood why I didn't see anything under my car. Either the fluids were being spewn everywhere by pressure in the engine and thrown back on the underside of my car while running forcing the heat from the muffler to burn the fluids off, and that the fluid was sitting underneath my engine. The only amount of fluid that I would ever see would be a drop the size of a nickel. When you're looking for leaky things under a car that is only a few inches above the ground, you don't tend to notice a spot the size of a nickel. *sigh* So, they're keeping my car until next week, at least they hope. Dave, the head mechanic, will be the only one allowed to do any work on the car other than a new oil change. All in all, this couldn't come at a worse time, but my number on that car was up. I've had the car for about 4 years now, and I hadn't had to do any serious work on it since I bought it. Now, it's Helda's turn to get new parts. Expensive parts at that. It will probably cost me around $1100. Fortunately, I was given a $900 credit line at Meineke, and while I don't need another bill at this time, I can't foot the $1100+ for my car. I need my car. We are already out one car for similar (but worse) problems.

I guess, really, I'm a little pissed. And frankly, I'm a little irritated to hear people gripe about a $200 part, when I'm out $1100. Call me callous, I don't care. I don't want pity, but I sure as fuck will not be at liberty to give anybody pity about their small change woes.

While I'm at it, does anybody go to IUPUI for 9 or 9:30 am classes on Tuesday? I'm kind of in need of a ride.