We approached the last red light on the highway before the turn off. Mel stepped on the brake pedal and her foot pushed the pedal to the floor board. She did it again, nothing and the intersection was fast approaching. She was going the speed limit of 65 mph when she saw the light change. Keeping her head she slowly pulled the emergency brake. She coasted through the intersection running the red light. Luckily, there were no cars coming. We stopped just through the 4-way.
She pumped the brakes praying it was only air in the line. Nope, nothing. Here we were, stuck on the side of the highway, with our exit within sight. Mel decided to chance it. At the end of the exit, she again pulled the emergency brake to stop for the light. We were both praying for green lights. We had just passed the Auto Zone when the emergency brake no longer stopped the car. Mel pulled into the turn lane for Auto Zone. She coasted into the parking lot barely tapping the gas. It was a hard bump when the curb guard stopped us but at least we didn't hit the building.
The pint of brake fluid ran through the cylinder within a few pumps of the pedal. So much for an easy repair. Now, we're talking BUCKS to repair the car. I called the orthotics place and told them our problem. I found out my specialist was booked the rest of the afternoon. I was three miles away from their office. I would have walked it if I had my new shoes and wasn't nursing a half dollar sized pressure sore already on my foot. I still had thirty minutes to get to my appointment. I didn't have the cash on me to get a taxi or uber, and the same went for the bus metro line. So, I changed my appointment.
Meanwhile, Mel called GEICO's roadside assistance. It would take an hour to get to us and tow the vehicle to a garage in Cornelia. The tow truck company did not allow passengers so we'd have to arrange transport back home. I called the garage and told them to fix the car and call when the job was complete.
The owner of the shop called me back while we were on the uber drive home. Uber was much cheaper than a taxi. Bad news, his tire/old change shop couldn't fix it. The leak was in the metal fluid line. If it had been in a rubber hose, he could have fixed it. He would drive it to the only repair garage in town. That meant it would sit for a couple of days before they could even touch it. Keep in mind, this vehicle is our only means of transport. ARGH!
Meanwhile on the homestead, the chicken layer feed are close to scraping the near empty barrels. I'm cooking rice and cornbread, not for us, but for the chickens. Mel calls the repair shop to find out when the repairs would be finished. "Maybe tomorrow." They've said that for the last three days now! That's the disadvantage, for us, of this being the only garage in town. This has been going on almost two weeks now! I'm missing my old homestead more and more with everything that's breaking on this homestead. Help was only a phone call away. This is for the birds.
Oh dear, you all have had enough car trouble as it is. Enough of all troubles! Can 2020 get any worse?
ReplyDeleteLeigh, I never ask that question though my roommate does. I think that's part of the problem. We now have the car back finally. They fixed 3 metal brake lines to the tune of $100 a lines, but we are at least mobile again.
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