The car...again...part II

So the rest of the story with my car...

I arrived home with groceries from the Sunday car adventure with the help of a wonderful friend. I was grateful that I had not bought ice cream because it was hot outside. And the rest of the groceries survived too. But I had a problem. My car was now in the northern part of D-town at my trusted mechanic. The one I used when I lived in northern D-town. But now I live in the southern part of D-town. My car is 12 miles from me. I need to figure out how to get to my car.

Now I have to figure out how to get to my car on Monday so I spent the evening on the internet looking at the local bus route. I trip into the past. I did not get my license until I was about 25 years old. I took the bus and walk everywhere. I knew it without looking at a schedule. But i didn't live in this town then. So I needed to figure it all out again. After about 30 minutes of looking I have determined that it will take about 2 hours to travel those 12 miles. Twelve miles in 2 hours with Ladybug. I am so spoiled having a car. But what choice do I have.

I wake up in the morning. Call in to work and explain the situation. And look out the window. It is pouring. And my my umbrella is in the car. You know, the car that is 12 miles away. I am not dragging Ladybug through the rain. I am not. All my locals friends are at work. My mom is 700 miles away. So I decide to rent a car...afterall, they will pick me up. Rent a car, check on my car, drop Ladybug at school, and go to work. I only arrived 3 hours late. Had to be done because I have deadlines and angry clients and courts don't care what is going on in my personal life.

Please let it be under $200. It is probably the starter. They tested the alternator the last time it was in the shop. It has to be the starter. Finally, the mechanic calls and tells me the car can be picked up.

Me: What was wrong with it?
Mechanic: Battery was installed incorrectly.
Me: (crickets....I can't even wrap my mind around it)
Mechanic: Hello?
Me: The battery?
Mechanic: Yes.
Me: How much?
Mechanic: $10.

$10!!! The battery was installed incorrectly??? How does that happen?

Pick up Ladybug. Stop at the mechanic and pay. Drop the rental off. Pick up car. Go home. What a day!

And then I got angry. $27 for the tow. $10 to fix the battery. $61 for a rental car. $61!!! I got an economy car and had it for 7 hours. Yikes! All because someone screwed up. Someone I paid.

On Tuesday I collected all the receipts and went back into mechanic #1. I explain that if they had done the job right I would not have had to spend that money. They copy the receipts and say they must talk with corporate. I remind them that I have spent nearly $1300 in their shop in the past few months. I remain civil. I put on my sweet voice (I use to work at a hotline and as a police dispatcher -- I know how to change my voice to fit the situation).

So far they have agreed to pay for the tow and the mechanic bill. I am still waiting to hear about the rental car. Hope they understand that "Mean Mama" has been known to jump off the deep end right into psychoticville.

Mean Mama