It’s rather self-evident that the Universe permits me to have a car only in order to ensure it has a handy tool with which to torment and drive me crazy.

Managing to survive and successfully deal with whatever the latest challenge thrown my way by my car brings no sense of accomplishment or relief,it simply marks the start of the countdown to the arrival of the next potential disaster.

For the Universe it does not matter how many times it fails since it only needs to win once. Having been stripped to the bone, I have been left with no cushion and so cannot afford to fail even once.

Which makes the car a most effective tool to torment and drive me into retreating from the world.

 

I am not being paranoid since, given that the Universe really is out to get me.

You have doubts? Consider Friday’s appointment with the good folks at Curtis Tire for an alignment and two new tires [replacements for a flat tire and a badly worn front tire= tire that was placed on the front wheels.

“I want to show you something’”are not words one wants to hear when you are sitting there waiting for work on your car to be finished.

When we arrived in the bay my car was sporting two new tires on the front wheels but was still on the hoist.

The bad news was that both front coil springs were broken. On the bright side [at least in terms of my car these days] the springs had broken in a place and a manner that one could still drive the car.

Of course, since we are speaking of me and my car, if I should chance to hit the wrong bump the coil springs could lift, shift and put holes in both brand new front tires.

…….tick…….tick…….tick…….

At some point in the immediate future, as my finances allow, I need to make my way to Pick-a-Part, pull both the coil springs and struts off the front of a 2001 Ford Focus and have Curtis Tire instal them. As an aside I want to say Curtis Tire’s understanding of my tight finances and their advice to go to the wrecker’s for struts and springs off was much appreciated. Not in terms of embarrassment of being poor but in terms of a practical [and achievable] solution.

Until I manage to acquire the struts and springs and have them installed I need to avoid an ‘unfortunate bump’.

Which, considering I live Abbotsford and the dilapidated condition of Abbotsford’s streets – so often subject to city council’s disregard – brought about the damage in the first place, leaves me facing the challenge of navigating the obstacles course known as  roads in Abbotsford.

Fortunately the skill of the people at Curtis Tire and the vast  improvement in maneuverability they brought about gives me a chance, however slim, of surviving Abbotsford’s streets long enough to obtain and instal the coil springs and struts.

Of course installing the springs and struts does not end the need for care in order to avoid being ambushed by another of Abbotsford’s latent tire and suspension-eating traps for the unwary..

While I cannot foresee the outcome of my quest to overcome the Universe’s latest assault on my sanity I do foresee a lot of prayer in the immediate future.