Specific Gravity

This past week has driven me to drink. And what you're seeing is not iced tea, folks.

So, to start this off, The Squad Car is sadly falling apart.

The Squad Car doesn't have air conditioning. In Atlanta, that's like not having hands or something. I've spent the last two months with all four windows down while going 80 up I-75/85, unless of course when it's raining... then only the back two windows are down...

Last week, I was driving home, and the rain started coming down when I was about 3 miles from home. It wasn't just raining, it was POURING... literally sheets of rain. So I start to roll up all of the windows, and the front-passenger window is making this clicking sound and not rolling up. So I get three of the windows up, while the fourth is allowing gallons of water into the car.

I get home and at least get the window rolled up after removing the panel off the door and pushing it up through the metal frame. I admit defeat and decide not to mess with it anymore. So that left me with three windows. Ugh.

Then, Wednesday, during one of the hottest days of the summer, I get into the car and get halfway out of the parking lot when I realize there's NO REARVIEW MIRROR. The heat had melted the glue off the back of the mirror and it had fallen off the windshield. I get home (with considerably fewer lane changes than I'm typically used to), and get the trusty superglue. But for some reason, I can't get the freakin' mirror to stick back on the windshield. Again, I admitted defeat and decided not to mess with it anymore.

Friday, I drove to work, rearview-mirror-less and with only three windows down. It wasn't too bad in the morning, but when I got back in the car at 5:30 that afternoon, I caught the distinct smell of anti-freeze. No matter, I thought. It's probably just a one-off thing... Anti-freeze leaks during the summer, I guess.

I drop the car off at Papa Bear's for the weekend (he needed to pick up some fertilizer-- he still doesn't have his truck yet)... I get a call from Dad on Saturday morning asking if I smelled "ethyl-glycol" when I was in the car. I jokingly said, "What, you mean that 'ass-like' smell that's somewhat reminiscent of anti-freeze? Yeah, I noticed that on Friday." He laughed, and took a look under the hood. Turns out the thing has a leak in the heater and anti-freeze is being vaporized through the air vents into the car anytime the car runs.

...That couldn't be too hazardous to your health, could it?

Well, K and I agreed that I shouldn't chance it, so we went car shopping on Saturday before I took Mom, Dad and K to the Braves game (Papa Bear and my second game in a week-- huzzah!!!). There's a car dealership about two miles from my house, and they usually have an OBSCENE amount of used-car listings, so we trotted our asses over there.

Long story short, we found a 2003 Ford Focus (GREAT GAS MILEAGE, and surprisingly stacked full of toys for me to play with) and got a ridiculously good deal. It's blue-- almost the exact same color of the Cruiser. Seems that dark blue is the only color K and I can agree on...

I drive the Focus to work today, and when I take it over to my parents' house to show them the car, I noticed that SOMEONE HAD FUCKING KEYED MY CAR. The car that I've had for TWO DAYS. You can tell when it's just a scratch or a car door or something, but when it's someone keying it, you can tell that shit was intentional.

Bummer, man.

So who dunnit? I can't think of who would have a reason to. I haven't made any enemies at work (that I know about, at least)... however, there IS another car in the lot, however, that's the exact same color and make as mine. I hope it wasn't someone who thought I was stealing their thunder...

Anyway, if I hear anything, I'll pass it along. Otherwise, say your prayers, take your vitamins, and always believe in the power of Hulkamania.