ask grandma j

QUESTION: When is an Idle an Idol?

ANSWER: When you take it in.

The night before last, I decided to go to Arby's for a sandwich. The Colts Jaguars game had just ended, and it was after 9 p.m. When I started my car it was idling rough. I hadn't driven it all day, and the weather had dipped to the 20' the day before, and hadn't gotten above 45 on that day, so I figured it needed to warm up...even though I know my car like the back of my hand, and it just didn't seem right. Once I started driving, it was fine. When I stopped at a light it would idle rough. I hold my breath when things like this happen. Seriously.....even stuff like when my fuel light comes on and I'm 50 miles from El Paso in 110 degree weather...I hold my breath. I'm sure I get better gas mileage that way, right?

Once I get home, I contemplate what the damages will probably be....right before Christmas, ten days until payday.....who do I cut from my Christmas list?

I call the Ford dealership to see if I can bring my car in, and the gal says, sure, at noon....ask for Heather. Now...I drive a 2001 Ford Escape. I have never had one once of trouble, and I can't believe I've had it for eight years. I think five years was the longest I had ever had a car before.

I go out to start it this morning at around eleven, and it purrs like a kitten. I sit there with it in park, waiting for it to start acting like a massage chair at the nail salon. NOTHING....HUMMMMMM. I put it in neutral, because that will make it shake a bit....nope. I decide to take it in anyway for a diagnostic check-up.

I get there at 11:45, and Heather is still out to lunch. I wander around a bit. I see this............

Yeah, like it has a sticker price of $52K...I'm not a Mustang person, and I make a snorting noise, then mumble that I would never pay $52 for any Ford. The men hanging around drooling tell me the sticker price is a joke...you can't touch this for under $100K....I leave, and check to see if Heather is back.....not yet.

I wander around a bit more.....have a bit of a conversation with Carlous (yes that's how he spells it). Then I do this...........

I buy me a new 2009 Escape Limited.

And Here I am saying good-bye to my old one...

And Monday I'm going back to see Carlous so he can help me with the Sync bluetooth stuff.

On a funny note? No one...not the salesman, finance manager....no one asked me for proof of income, or bank information. I even mentioned that my pensions go in my account electronically....no one asked me who I got my checks from, or what bank they went into. I mentioned it to Carlous as I was leaving, and all of a sudden, they were scrambling to find me a computer to log onto! Can you believe it?