Great Lengths

Last year, I had to miss my April Vacation visit with everyone down at The Yarn Sellar.  As much as I enjoy a good knit night, the truck's engine light was telling me that travel would be inadvisable.  This, coming right after a lengthy and expensive round of repairs, made for much sadness.

I vowed it would not happen again.

You can only imagine the look on my face when, on Friday morning and just as I was turning into the school's parking lot, that cursed light came on again.  I knew at that moment that my plans for the upcoming school vacation week were going to be altered somewhat.  This could potentially include my participating in Tuesday Night Knitting Group.

The truck went to the service center that very afternoon and spent the night.  The prognosis was grim, but I was allowed to retrieve it on Saturday in order that I not be trapped at home for another day.  Monday morning, bright and early, back it went for more of the poking and prodding.

By Monday afternoon, the verdict was in.  And it was not good.  I needed a whole new engine.  

As this seemed like a kind of extreme sort of thing to be doing, I took the night to think it over.  But even the service people were saying that this was not advisable.  I needed a new car.

Now this was a tricky prospect at best.  I still owed money on the truck and was going into this with nothing in the way of equity.  I returned to the dealership this morning, escorted by my favorite shuttle driver, to see what I could do.  And I knew that it had to be done today.  I was not going to miss another knitting night.  

I will spare you the details, but it was a long day.  To say that my team of auto buying specialists were hard at work trying to make some sort of deal that would keep my payments reasonable would be an understatement.  It would also be safe to say that I owe all of womankind an apology for my behavior.  When you go into the buying process with your repair history, loan arrangements and original contract for your truck spread out for all the world to see, it's not like you can pretend that you are a savvy car buyer.  I did what I had to do.

I went all "girl" on the situation.  

I can't bear to think about it, much less to tell you all that transpired.  But there was flirting.  There was a test drive which involved my making all sorts of understanding noises while the salesman shared more details from his divorce than I needed to hear.  At one point I found myself doing something that bore a frightening resemblance to a geisha-type giggle complete with the hand in front of the mouth.  I flung myself on the mercy of my sales team (and it truly took a team to make this all happen) shamelessly and with Oscar worthy effort.  I prevailed upon their expertise and their manly powers of Making It All Better.  I tried to cry a couple of times, but I couldn't quite seem to work up a good gush of tears.  I did manage to make my voice break pathetically a couple of times and at very strategic moments, though.  Even my favorite shuttle driver stepped up to vouch for my good character and to lend his support to my being granted a new vehicle.

Like I said...I owe all women an apology.  We are better than that.  But I was in a pickle.  I broke out the estrogen.  What little I have left anyway.  

Oh, and I am also now engaged to the manager of the financing department.  I love him.  Deeply.  When the deal was finally done and hands were being shaken all around, this charming man clicked his heels and bowed to me.  

I love him.  Our children will be beautiful.  And I can only imagine that our cars will be equally aesthetically pleasing.

This all needed to happen today.  This was the window with which I had to work.  I was clear and highly specific on this matter.  My team worked hard to make it happen.  The truck is no more and I am now driving maybe a little more vehicle than I really need but financing under these circumstances is weird to say the least and more car seems to make more banks happy.  And it was all done within my specified time frame.

Because I wasn't going to miss another Knit Night.  Commitment, People.  That's what it's all about.

SA