I finally got around to bringing the van into the dealership to have the hood repaired.

As a general rule of thumb, when asking an auto repair technician how much a job will cost, don’t say, “So what’s the damage?” It only confuses them.

I told them that the hood needs a new latch, and as long as they have it, they might as well check the brakes, they’ve been feeling a little spongy.

At 2:30 I got the call.

Me: “Hi there. Yes… Oh… Oh no… Oh no… How much?… Dollars?!”

*Driving around town with your hood tied down by a rope connected to your radiator: Priceless.

*All the crazy shit that’s happened to my van: Priceless.

*What I wind up paying when I only brought the van in for a hood latch and “spongy” brakes: $900

Yes, they had a look at my car and, in so many words, told me it’s a miracle that I’m still alive. I sighed and told them that was a matter of opinion.

I wanted to get a new car, right then. $900 was easily three car payments. But since I don’t have a job at the moment, getting a new car would be next to impossible.

Shit. Shit. Shit.