Goddam car.

Last week I took some sammiches to eat with Moe on her lunch break. Driving back, my car died in an intersection. After waving idiots around me for ten minutes or so, some kindly folks helped me push it the hell out of the way. Moe came and we jumped the car, which promptly died as I was parking it at home.

The next day, I put a new battery in. Ran it hard for a week with all 'lectrics running with no slow down, so I felt safe about the alternator.

This morning, whilst driving about innocently, more shit happened. I stopped by a thrift store. Car fine. I drove from the thrifty to a Target.

Engine cyclically squeaks and I have no power steering. Crap.

Upon arriving at Target, I pop the hood and investigate. Sure enough, the belts loose. I grab a ratchet and tug on the belt tensioner. It loosens, but doesn't spring back.

I drive home, squeaking and cursing slow motorists, red lights, and sharp turns alike. I wonder if I checked the belt tension as thoroughly as I thought I did when I was tinkering over Christmas.

The battery and the tensioner mishaps are more than likely unrelated, but when dealing with car electrical systems, there are few coincidences. Grumble.

I take the tensioner off and examine it. Realizing I don't really have the means to test the spring with it dismounted, I reattach it.

Nothing. No spring, not tension, nada.

Catch a ride to the store to buy a new tensioner. None in stock. Have one by two.

So I wait.

Goddam car.

j.