Yesterday Blizzard and I enjoyed half of a scenic ride through the countryside on our way to my parents’. My car started to sputter after I made a left turn off of 123 in East Alstead village. The car sputtered, sputtered, then stopped. It did not start again. Blizzard pushed the car off the road and I called Mom to rescue us. It was a rather nice spot to be stranded. A nice breeze was blowing through the quiet little village.
Today the car was towed to Gilsum and diagnosed with $600-$700 worth of problems, which the mechanic does not think are worth fixing. So that’s that. I found myself oddly wistful and sad after receiving the news this afternoon at work. I bought that car brand new on January 4, 1997. We were not quite to 120,000 miles. The end of an era. I don’t know if I can picture me in any other car. It will be very weird.
The real problem is that I now need a new car and I have no money. I’m borrowing my mom’s truck for now. Blizzard suggested I rent a car few a couple weeks and we could do some car shopping in that time. The money that I had set aside for this very predictable eventuality was spent on the woodstove so I’ve managed to make him feel responsible in part for the purchase of a new vehicle.
The old Escort had a good last weekend. Blizzard’s car needs new tires so we took my car down to Salem, MA Friday evening. It got us there and back safely. On the way down we stopped for gas and I calculated 35.7 miles per gallon. Its last fill-up. No more ‘Scort 
2 responses so far ↓
JW // July 15, 2008 at 6:10 am
Wow… an interesting alignment of events. It is good to hear that your stranded location happened somewhere safe and enjoyable!
I’m a bit into poking around at cars. If you want to bounce any ideas my way, please feel free to.
Christine // July 17, 2008 at 10:35 am
RIP ‘Scort. My first car was a 1997 Mercury Tracer, forest green, affectionately known as Greenie. I totaled it in Bar Harbor, Maine, on Fourth of July weekend 2000. RIP.
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