Life...or something like it: December 2005

Ah, how life can just change in an instance.

Let's start with the story of my car.

I got my car in July of 2001. I had resolved to get a car right before school ended; I needed a car. I had been borrowing my boyfriend's (now husband) car for a full semester. It was apparent that a car was needed not only to get to church and around Boone, but since my brother was about to join the Appalachian family in the fall of that year, it would be necessary to have transportation home for the two of us since it was hard in those days to find transportation for two.

My family didn't believe I'd be able to because I had to find the means of buying a car. I believed I would and even bought an ASU sticker that would be placed on it.

Well, God provided the means through a close family who mentored me and through my father who covered the portion they didn't. It was a loan, but hey, at least there was no interest.

Lo, and behold, I got my car, a 1999 Ford Escort SE, dark sparkly blue, my favorite color. I lost my job the day after, but that is another story (it wasn't because I got the car though).

I slowly repaid my mentors and drove that baby through the snow, ice, rain, and fog of Boone. It was my baby, my own car. I personalized it with stickers and accessories. I planned on even keeping through Medical School had that been my continued dream. It only had 32,000 miles on it and I got an excellent deal.

Why am I talking about my car you ask, well I am getting there.

I had grown fairly attached to my car as it was my first ever car. I took care of it very ritually only lacking in a few issues on very rare occasions. I had a check up on my car by my very trusted mechanic at least once a year.

This year's check up was this past week. It was having issues in the start-up and I was quite pleased with the fix. It seemed to be running very well after my brother installed new spark plugs, my mechanic installed new tire rods, and my Dad and I got new tires on it. My mechanic did a good overlook and we were on our merry way again.

I got my car back on Monday and we drove it to Winston Salem. No problems. On the way home, something happened. Cruising along at 3 above the speed limit in the fast lane in Durham on the way home from Winston Salem, my engine suddenly popped and I started to loose power. I merged quickly over and exited at the Southpoint Mall exit (thankfully where I am working just for the holidays). I got upset when the car stalled out at the top of the exit ramp and prayed it would start just to get it around the corner into the parking lot. It started briefly and I cruised into the parking lot, but as I got in the parking lot my engine stalled again and my brakes locked up. I pulled the emergency brake but that was no good, but finally was able to get my car to stop in a parking spot. It wouldn't start anymore after that.

Needless to say, as I am a woman, I cried. Why was this happening to us? Rodney and BeBe were in the car with me, and while I needed to be at Southpoint in an hour and half or so, they were stranded. I called my Dad and Mom, who came to pick them up while we waited on a tow truck. My Dad decided to ride with the AAA tow truck and they towed my precious one to my mechanic in Raleigh.

The diagnosis... well, let's just say Rest in Peace my darling. I was shocked to find out that one of the spark plugs exploded in my engine and a part bounced around in there and ruined my engine. It would cost more than my car is worth to get it fixed, so now we will be in the hunt. I plan on contacting the company that manufactured the spark plug to see if I can get some sort of settlement as it was defective and shouldn't have exploded and fallen apart like that.

All in all, the last few days have been stressful. This is just something you don't expect to happen and don't want to happen during the holidays or ever. I was hoping to get another good year and a half out of this car. But now we are stuck with one car, decisions to make, and more money down the drain.

We must be headed in the right direction to hit such opposition.....

Prayers would be helpful to understand why all this has happened and where to go from here.