When it rains

On Sunday, Mom and Dad buy a new car. Dad sells old car. On Monday, Amanda’s car breaks down. Amanda borrows Dad’s car. Lisa starts to move out. Luckily the new car is big enough to haul her furniture all over Northern Virginia. Dad books new car into dealership on Tuesday to get extra features added. Down three cars. One car for the family to share. Hell.

Dad decides to push back flight to Iraq. Mechanic calls. Amanda’s car is not well. Dad books a rental car for Wednesday. In preparation of a road trip to New York, we trade last remaining cars with Amanda. Discover that car has no heat. Not very good for driving in January but even worse when it’s pouring rain and the windows keep fogging up. Go home to tell Dad. Down another car.

Decide to trade cars back with Amanda in the morning. Drop Dad off at car rental place, leave Dad standing in the rain as car rental place isn’t open yet. Drive 25 miles in the opposite direction to find Amanda. Locate Amanda and switch cars. Warn her about no heat and having to wipe the inside of the windows often. 

Drive to New York City in Lisa’s car. Park overnight in Queens. Move car at 8:30am before street cleaning begins.

Meanwhile, Dad calls dealership. Dealership says they haven’t even started work on the new car. Dad flips out. Dealership offers a free rental car. Up two rental cars.

Leave New York City. Drive back to DC. On 495, a truck passes and kicks up a rock. Rock lands on Lisa’s windshield. Windshield cracks. Feel terrible. Drive home to tell Dad. 

Call insurance, schedule appointment to fix windshield. Follow Dad to the auto garage. Watch Dad crash the rental car into another car. Wait on the side of the road while four fire trucks, two ambulances, and three police cars come on the scene. See fire trucks survey the scene – a fender bender- and leave. Watch the ambulances leave. Get questioned by police. Wait for police to tell us we can leave. 

Get windshield fixed in 15 minutes. Up three cars.

Tomorrow the car with no heat goes into the garage. Still haven’t heard the outcome on Amanda’s car. Dad and Amanda start car shopping. Maybe get the new car back tomorrow. Still keeping the two rental cars. Thanking our lucky stars Dad opted to take the extra insurance on them.

Don’t feel so bad about the cracked windshield anymore.