Don't Give Me That Human Attitude - You're Just a Machine

My mom brought her Saturn SL1 brand new.  Corey, Kayla and my mom all had Saturns.  I took a picture of them - each standing by his or her car.  They took it to Saturn.  I don't know what Saturn did with it.

      Roland and I had borrowed my mom's car on more than one occasion to go to Arizona.  It was just more reliable than anything we ever owned - except for the Saturn Ion we had for less than two years.  I think we have taken that to Arizona as well.

      Saturn used to send reminders to their cliental to let them know that it was time for their car to be serviced.  My mom took hers in (or had Corey take it in) to be serviced each year, until they went out of business.

      After we put my mom into assisted living, Roland and I asked if we could buy mom's car.  We didn't know it came with a personality - that it was somehow possessed.

      Sometimes the car will make noises as though the fan is running.  As we don't want the battery to die, we are forced to get the keys to turn on the engine to stop whatever part of the car seems to be running.  I haven't heard the fan noise since we moved - that doesn't mean it doesn't happen.  But the car has taken on another personality that is probably more annoying.

      It's tired.  It wants to rest.  We already drove it today and now it doesn't want to move.  Sometimes the motor will purr right away.  Often the car acts as if we left the headlights on and killed the battery.  Roland thinks it's a loose connection in the wiring, but we really don't know.

      I've asked our mechanic about it a couple of times now.  I had made an appointment for him to check it this morning.  I had taken Jenna to the bus stop on the off chance that the buses were running this morning.  They weren't. 

      The sun was too bright for me to drive her to school, and so Roland took her.  She is having her first overnight field trip through the school.  I had signed up to chaperone, but missed out on the opportunity somehow.  No matter.  Right now I feel like a zombie.  I don't know what's making me so sleepy.

      About an hour after Roland returned, I went to start the car.  It wouldn't start.  I called the mechanic who said he would make a house call - but then he got busy.  I tried starting the car at noon as I had another appointment.  Started just fine!  The nerve.

      I rescheduled with the mechanic tomorrow morning.  Hopefully he'll be able to find what the problem is.  We're going to need a more reliable car.  I don't know how we're going to work it into our budget.