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07/21/2007: "Car Trouble"
Two years after attaining the car, it is now in the shop for its second major service. The CV axle has long since been going, and recently one of the tire rods bent, I think. I was literally bouncing in the car over 50 MPH--so something had to be done. I sent it over to my local mechanic, and with all things told (plus two used tires) I should be about $500 lighter for the wear. Quite a deal when you figure that the car was my consolation prize from two breakups ago (I got a car, and she went off to cheat on other people. I still believe it to be one of the best deals I've ever made). I dropped the car off yesterday, and it will be ready on Monday. So, I'm sans vehicular transportation this weekend.
Those who know me know that I hate driving. This has been lessened to a large degree by my rockin' new stereo system installed (Infinity 5" in the front, JL 5x7" three ways in the rear, Sony CD deck), and the air conditioning now working quite well. I drive as much as I need, but very rarely more than that. That means to and from work, and the occasional trip to run errands. If I can, I prefer walking.
So I usually don't feel much need to have anything more than mere transportation. That is to say, I've never had a nice car. Hell, I've never owned a car less than 10 years old. A $500 car is usually what I gravitate towards--especially with my financial situation. And I figure even if I need to put a grand a year into maintenance for a car, it's still less than a car payment.
However there is a degree of existential dread that comes over me when things like this happen. Granted most weekends my car sits there untouched--but the idea that I can't really go anywhere affects me, even though most likely I wouldn't have left the house anyway. I'm not sure why this is. I can reason to myself that I wouldn't have gone anywhere, citing my recent social isolation and my intolerance for people as such lately, coupled with my pseudo-agoraphobia which sets in during the fetid Florida summers. But still, I can't help a subtle feeling of disconnection with the world, even more so than usual.
Maybe I'll take a walk. That might help.
