Car Trouble

I was driving through Nashville on my way to Chattanooga Sunday evening when I went over a bump in the road - literally - and I heard a thunk/crunch (if you can imagine those two sounds at the same time. I drove over to a little oil change place to have them check it out. I asked for an oil change while I was there, so they would be making a few bucks at the same time. BTW, it was the only place open around there and it was time for a change.

Well, the 2 kids there acted like they were proud to have found the engine in the first place! They apparently didn't look at anything else, or they would have noticed that my back light was broken and I had damage to my rear brakes. They were completely useless. So, I drove on to Chattanooga, but I noticed a problem with the brakes. I had brakes, but not until my foot was almost on the floor. I arrived in Chattanooga (one of my favorite towns) and got a room near the waterfront. Had a night cap a the bar attached to the Days Inn. I also had breakfast at the little cafe attached to the Inn the next morning, which was fabulous - french toast the size of a small car.

Monday morning, after breakfast, I drove to a place suggested to me by the guy (Paul) who checked me in at the Days Inn the night before. The mechanic place didn't have a guy who did brakes until after 2pm and he might be booked up anyway. The old man in the shop was reaching for the phone book to find me another place when another customer walked in. This guy was familiar to them. Instantly, the first mechanic stopped giving a crap about my problem or calling the brake-guy to see what he thought, the old guy put the phone book away, and both of them took up a conversation with the new customer. I suddenly became invisible. I stood there for a few seconds and then headed for the door. I waved as I walked out the door and said, "thanks for apparently nothing!"

I looked up a Midas shop on my GPS and drove there. I couldn't help but notice I was driving further and further away from the waterfront, which was my original goal. I found the Midas, took Fletch into the waiting area and sat for the next 4 hours or so, while the Midas guys took good care of me. It seems a "shoe" crumbled like a graham cracker and took several items along with it. ; - O  Brake fluid was leaving my car like a bad marriage and I would have destroyed my whole back brakes if I had continued on the road. About $450 later, we were back on the road, but it was too late to be able to enjoy the waterfront at all and I needed to get to AL that evening. (Sad, but we shall return.)

We drove to Julie's house, around Huntsville and visited and spent the night. Julie (and Sue) worked with me in GA for 5 years. Baby, the fabulous dog, put up with the interloper by staying down the street at Julie's Momma's house. Fletch got to stretch his legs and wander to his heart's content. Baby will have an absolute hayday when she comes back and gets to sniff everything Fletch touched.

We drove to my old office in B'ham and said "hi" to anyone who was there, and had lunch with Susan while Fletch hung out at the office. Long day and need to get back on the road early so I can see the sonagram tomorrow! YAY.
Many thanks to Julie, Baby, the Midas guys and HIM.