A Tad Foggy

I put new tires on my Escape, and also replaced a whee bearing.

Made my last payment.

Had a thought that I wanted to get to two-hundred-thousand miles.

And then, I decided to make the Monday morning run to Salamanca. Coffee in hand, 80’s on 8 on the radio.

I was listening to a story about Billy Joel and then they played “Uptown Girl.”

Was thinking about Christie Brinkley.

Had a passing thought:

“It’s foggy.”

Then I glanced in the rear view mirror.

“Uh-oh.”

The car was on cruise for 72 mph.

I was only going 64 then 62 then 58.

“Bah!”

I was a lot closer to Salamanca…

…kept going.

I visited the site but not before a true panic moment.

The brakes weren’t power brakes anymore. I had to stand on them to pull into the parking spot.

There was a cop on-site at the school. A young, woman officer..

“Your car is on fire,” she said, laughing.

“Hysterical,” I said. “Somehow I have to get it back to Buffalo.”

“You aren’t gonna’ make it,” she said, laughing some more.

I wasn’t even sure I was going to try.

But I did.

Drove straight to the family mechanic. It drove pretty well, honestly. I still had to stand on the brakes, but I made it.

Jerry said, “Shut it off and start it again.”

I did and he walked around the back to assess the smoke.

He made a throat-cut gesture and I shut it off.

“You didn’t have to shut it off,” he said. “I made the throat-cut gesture because it’s cooked.”

He ran diagnostics on it and nodded.

“You have 3 options,” he said.

“Burn it?” I asked.

“Didn’t think of that one, but it’s a great option. You have four options and when I think about it, that’s the best one.”

We laughed.

Jerry patted me on the back.

“New car time. You got 176 on this. That ain’t a bad run.”

What a month!

Wife got a new hip.

Dog went through $2 grand for a surgery.

Now, more change!

Oh how I love change.

It’ll be all right.

Another Escape. 

The same model I’ve driven since the mid-90’s.

“You need less drama,” my department head said. 

“Ya’ think?”