I had to bring my car over to Andrew’s. He lives in Winter Springs, closer to Tuskawilla. He used to be a mobile mechanic but, he’s gotten so much business he has to have people bring their vehicles to him now.

When I arrived he was working on a Volkswagen Jetta. It made me wistful for my Beetle. When I flooded the engine, Andrew worked on my car off and on for a couple of months. We discovered that the real problem was the computer.

My car was toast. I had it towed away the day I had my cortisone shot in my left knee at my new orthopedic surgeon’s office. His ARNP, Jaimie, injected it. Turned out my knee was was toast too. The cortisone didn’t work. Luckily, my insurance company didn’t make me try a few more shots. My knee, like my VW, had to be replaced.

I think my friend, Vickie, was who took me to my appointment. Or, maybe, I Lyfted. Damn, that was a horrible stretch of ten months with no car.

When I arrived home I had to decide what to do with my Beetle. It was very painful to resign myself to junking it. I had it for over 14 years. It was the most dependable vehicle I ever had. It needed towing twice. The first time was on a flatbed from Coconut Creek to Daytona so I could buy it.

I hobbled out to see the tow truck driver hoist up my metallic royal blue VW and haul it away. I cried like a baby. For months I mourned the loss of that car.

Now, I have a Pontiac. Thanks to another buddy, Tara. She’s selling me her late mom’s 2005 G6. She’s a goddess who has been very patient with my money issues. I am giving her some of my tax refund money. I think I might be able to come close to paying it off.

The Pontiac has been dependable. It’s hard to believe but, I’ve had it almost two years.

Much of that time the check engine light has been lit. Andrew already knows the cause: a purge control valve which costs only about $40 but, I was always running out of paycheck before I could get the part. Labor will be almost nothing. It’s perfectly visible with the hood up.

We did find something interesting with the daylight exposing the whole thing-Andrew had only seen it in the dark when he came and rescued me and my dead car at Publix almost a year ago. A gear shifting cable had broken. He fixed it right there in the dimly lit parking lot.

He’s a genius with cars. He really is. I got his number from my work buddy, Drew, at Walmart. I have since given Andrew’s number to so many people in need of auto repairs.

Yesterday after he changed the oil we looked at the valve. Someone had plugged the tube with a rusty nail rather than getting it fixed. I am sure Tara knew nothing of this but, it had to have been like that when I took the car over. It really hasn’t needed mechanical work since I got it.

It’s still drivable. Hell, I’ve been driving it this long but, I ordered the part at Advance Auto on Tuskawilla-they know Andrew very well there. It supposedly arrived today. I’m trying to set up a repair for next Friday.

I work the next three days and then have off on Thursday and Friday. Thursday is full of doctor’s appointments.

Tomorrow I work 11-5 or, 6. Tuesday and Wednesday I work 8:30-3. I might be able to have Andrew fix it on those early days.

I want it fixed as soon as possible because it’s costing me extra money in fuel.

Also, I desperately want and need to see some dear friends on the Gulf side and a couple in Palm Coast, on the Atlantic side.