Okay, so in 2008, I moved to Greenville SC. I loved it there. I loved the mountains. I loved the people. I loved the art scene. I loved it all. Unfortunately, my living arrangement ended in early 2009, and I felt I needed to move back to Columbia. It wasn't an easy decision, but it looked like the right one. I wasn't working in Greenville, and I was living off of the money I got from Macy's. I tried to get rehired there, but they wouldn't take me. I made millions for them, when I worked there the first time, but I guess my reluctance to sell their credit card was why. I just had a bit more conscience that some others. So, I moved back to Columbia.
I was staying for about six months in weekly-rate motels while looking for work. They weren't bad. Except for one which advertised free Wi-Fi, but it was only on with the manager's daughter needed to do her homework in the afternoons. My car was acting up, even when I was in Greenville. But, I tried to keep going with it. I took it to a mechanic who showed me that there was a crack in the engine block, and it was leaking oil. He said it would cost about $3000 to fix. So, I just added oil and kept rolling.
On Labor Day 2009, I had run out of money. I could no longer stay in the motel, so I packed up my stuff (most of it was in storage, so the things I had in the motel were clothes and some essentials), and I put two quarts of oil into my car. I drove out to Columbia Mall to put in some applications and then headed over to Dutch Square via I-20. About halfway down the road, there was a bang under the hood and smoke started to billow out. I got up an exit ramp with smoke pouring out. My engine had blown up.
I called my brother, and a tow truck. The truck towed my car to a AAA lot, and my brother came to get my stuff out of my car. The car sat in the lot for a few days and then was junked. It served me well for about 15 years, but now I had no money, no job, and no car. My life would change dramatically after that.
Stay tuned.
Similar path I've been on, Walter. In 2004, it was going to cost me $600 to get my car to pass NC inspection, probably $1000 for everything that needed to be done. I got stopped for expired plates which I could not renew without the inspection I could not yet afford. I gave up driving at that point. The only work I was doing was delivering pizzas, so there went my job.
ReplyDeleteOnly now am I reinstating my license. Will post on FB when it's all official. It has been quite a life these past 9 years depending on public transportation.