Broken down and Finger Printed

Yesterday started out like any other Monday.  A trip to Grandma Wood's for some cleaning.  I was going to run a few errands before, so I got an early start.  As I was turning onto HWY 6 my ginormous 'Burb started making the most horrible clanking and grinding noises.  UGH!!!   I slowed down in fear of the noise. Due to the ingrained road preventing sleepy drivers from careening down the embankment  I pulled all the way over and came to a complete stop.  What to do now?  I have a cell phone, but no minutes.  What did we do before cell phones?  First, we turned on the emergency blinkers, check.  Then we pull out any children that we have with us.  For me, that would be Grace.  Lastly, lock the car and start walking!  Yup, down busy HWY 6 I trudged with my baby girls on my hip.  I could see the gas station in the distance and knew I didn't have far to go.  Courage, woman.  I noticed a red SUV pulling around.  This nice young guy rolled his window down and said, " I saw you and couldn't just let you keep walking.  Do you need a ride somewhere?"  I told him I just needed to go to the gas station so I could use their phone.  Without hesitation, (can you believe I did this in the world we live in), I climbed in grateful for the lift.  He offered up his cell phone which I also gratefully used.  My first call was to the husband.  The second call was to my sweet sister-in-law!  The young guy dropped me off and Grace and I waited for Kelli to arrive.  Kelli drove me back to the broken down 'burb.  I called Brent he instructed me to do a few things including driving the darn thing to Big-O.  Going about 15 miles an hour I made it off HWY 6 and into a quiet neighborhood where I decided I could no longer drive.  The noise was too loud, to knocking, and just not right.  Using Kelli's cell phone I called Brent again insisting on a tow truck.  He was not happy with me and that decision. 

Later that day we learned the diagnosis for the beast.  I feared it was the transmission.  Instead, it was the rear calipers.  They had frozen up.  Jack informed Brent that I was smart to stop driving it.  If I hadn't of, the whole rear end would have been ripped apart.  UGH!!!  We also learned the cost of the repairs.  Due the exorbitant amount I was forced to go down and apply for an RC Willey credit card.  UGH!!!  After filling out the form I was on my way out again.  Jack came calling after me telling me he had forgotten something.  RC Willey  now requires a fingerprint for all applicants!  I was like "WHAT!!"  I've never been fingerprinted before in my entire life!!  Jack told me that if any company defends against identity left it's RC Willey.  He asked if I knew who owned the company.  I didn't know the answer.  He quickly replied, "Warren Buffet."  Alrighty then.

For the most part I dealt pretty good with  this catastrophe.  It's a catastrophe when your trying to get out of debt and not use credit cards.  I wasn't so much upset with the break down, or even the cost of the repairs.  These types of thing happen.  No use in wallowing in self pity. The idea of these repairs setting us back that much more, is sickening.   What can you do?  Nothing but trudge along and hope for miracles.