BABY YOU CAN DRIVE MY CAR

(Beatles)

The other day my reliable Audi wouldn't start at Starbucks. I ate my donut and tried again. It turned over.

But ya know, after some years, you have a sense about things. You just know when it isn't right.

It did start again three or four times since.

And today I bought my first $42 tankful of gas. GOUGING BASTARDS! Then, after gulping hard at the pump,... nothing. And nothing again. And again. Again. Yet again. A lady lines up behind me. I get out and give her the bad news - I ain't going nowhere!

Finally I decide to see if I can push it into a parking space, which I do, and crank and wait and try and try and try again. Nope.

I call the service center - they just did a BIG (almost $2000) tuneup and service not very long ago. Well, it's tough to diagnose over the phone - could be this or that. I try again. No go. Terri picks me up.

And so I leave it there - will return tomorrow and if I can't get it started, will have it towed to the dealership.

It's not logical. We have two cars. But when mine is down, I feel trapped, even though I wouldn't necessarily use it to go anywhere. But I COULD. That's the thing.