Reliable Transportation?

I swear by my luck sometimes. I swear that, with some of the luck I have occasionally, I could sink third-world countries. Here was my last week.

Monday night:
I drive my dream car, plus a few years. Baby Girl is a 2000 VW Bug (the newer type: my dream car is a 1960's model I want to re-build) in opalescent blue. She has quite a few miles on her, but she's really not that bad - if we ignore that modern engineering isn't what it used to be and she was made in Mexico instead of Germany. I still love her to death, despite cramming her with crap that's now mobile..... anywho. She gets me to work and back in one piece. Usually. Except this evening, when I go to start her up, she's acting really funny - as in the engine's rattling and bucking, she's not transitioning gears well, and I'm scared to really drive her far/fast. The problem? I work about 25 minutes from the apartment. Damn. At least I have to go in later the next day and can get her to the mechanic, if I can afford it. If she's not completely tanked. IF I can get home in one piece and can drive her just that much further to the mechanic the next morning.

I take off REALLY slowly. As in 10-15 mph slowly. I made it to the other side of town before I get waved down by a concerned driver who noticed the sparks coming from under my vehicle. I stop immediately, take a look under, and she's almost melted through some pipework on the underside. I love AAA.

I owe one of the fellow grad students here a LOT for hauling my sorry butt all over the place for the next few days. I also paid for a new catalytic converter, resonator, and a bunch of other pipe work. Huzzah.



Wednesday:
Left my phone charger in the car being fixed. Missed a call in to work for Thursday, which I was supposed to have off. Oops.

More in part two, back to work for me.