How many jobs do you think I can hold down at once?
admin on Sep 6th 2008
It is funny how seems to be able to bring a whole crap load of things to my door all at once. It is just cruel how karma pays me back for every good thing I try with something bad. I’ve mentioned before on my blog about how my dad has had a recent heart attack. Spending months in hospitals and now unable to work has left him with little remaining but bills. I found out that he was selling his car(s) to make ends meet. A logical thing given he can no longer drive and he is still months away from getting any kind of help from uncle sam.
I decided I would buy one of his cars. It was a win win situation I thought. A former mechanic his cars are bound to be in great condition, I can help him out by giving a more than fair price for the car, and it was an excuse for me to get to see him. The old man lives several hundred miles away so we don’t see each other often. All seemed to be well.
My current car is nearing the end of its life and I needed a new car. Since time for renewal was drawing near I thought I’ll get the new car, get it licensed and then sell the old one before its time to renew. Everything seemed to be going perfectly. It turns out I had to put rear brake shoes on the car I bought before I could get it licensed but aside from the cost it went ok.
Now a week after I’ve made the switch I’m driving the new car on the highway and the brakes locked up tighter than crap. I skidded off the road thinking I’ve got a flat tire. Got out looked it over but there was no flat. I thought I might have hit something that made me skid, so I got back in and drove. The car drove ok the rest of the way home. I was a bit worried but had conviced myself it was nothing. Later that night I needed to run to the store. I got about half mile from the house and they locked up again. This time I could tell what it was because they didn’t unlock. The car is unable to move and I can’t even tow it home myself because the wheels won’t turn at all.
Its really a minor problem thought it might be expensive to fix. Its probably my fault because I did the brakes so I could get it passed safety inspection. The thing is that its upsetting to know trying to do something good turned into a nasty expense and a couple of really stressful days.
I had promised the old car to my younger sister and now I won’t be able to fufil that promise. Since it passed emissions and safety with no problems, I have to get it licensed and keep driving it until I can get enough money together to fix the new car. I’ve dipped into my credit for another 500 already just so I can keep going to work. Had I already given her the car it could have been worse. (again doing something nice would have come back to bite me in the ass)
Its nothing throwing a little more money at wont fix, just I’ve reached the point where there isn’t much money (or credit) left to throw. Instead of looking for a better job, looking for a second job is probably on the menu.
Filed in Finance, Life, Travel |