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Cheese crunchies

It all started Tuesday. No, it all started Sunday. I was winding up a trip to visit family down in Southern California. I wanted to hit the road early Sunday morning, but my car had a flat tire. So I waited until the Firestone tire shop opened at 9am, got the tire repaired ($25), and was on my way.

I drove 410 miles on that tire. On Monday it was flat again.

On Tuesday I took the car in to re-repair ($0, because there was no way I was paying again) or replace ($60) the tire. But when the guys at the Firestone shop here in SF took it off, they noticed that one of the lugs was about to break ($70). Also, the axle boot thingamajig on that side was broken and would soon become a safety issue ($150 for new axle, $150 labor). I authorized the repair over the phone. I had walked down the street for breakfast ($6), since the initial work was only supposed to take an hour or two. When I got back to the tire shop, they told me it would be another three hours at least, but that it would be done that night. I took a bus home ($0 with monthly pass).

At 5pm they called because a drive shaft bearing somethingorother was stuck and just wouldn't come out. They wouldn't have it done that night. Wednesday morning for sure.

Wednesday morning I waited around for them to call. I had errands to run and shopping to do. Around 1pm they finally called; the car was ready. I took a bus there and picked up the car ($496 -- ouch). Within one block of leaving the shop I noticed deep rattling noises. Noises that made me wonder if catastrophe would strike the next time I hit a pothole or took a tight turn. In my car-unsavvy imagination, I thought that maybe they had forgotten to put the lug nuts back on, and the wheel was just waiting to pop off like a loose tinker toy.

I drove straight back to the tire shop, where they decided to replace the part they had just replaced. Again. It would take at least another three hours. I groaned and rolled my eyes and gnashed my teeth.

I walked to the nearby Trader Joe's and did my grocery shopping ($77). My debit card was declined for no apparent reason. Sigh.

I didn't have to wait long for a bus home -- finally, I thought, I am getting a break today! I was two-thirds of the way home when I realized that my house keys were still in the car. Which was still at the tire shop.

I got off the bus and hailed a cab ($17). I had the driver take me (and my groceries) back to the tire shop, where I retrieved my house keys, and then home.

Which brings me to cheese crunchies. I grabbed a bag of these ($2) while waiting in line, hungry and pissed, at Trader Joe's. Someone please take them away before I polish off the whole damn bag.

November 2, 2006 11:16 AM