I received a call from the apartment complex’s office today. It is not good news.
The woman who helped me with all the leasing paperwork called to tell me that they are going to tow away my project car tomorrow!
She said that they are not allowed to have unregistered cars on their property!
I was not expecting this.
I finally got a second opinion on my F-150 SuperCrews alignment problem. They confirmed what the first shop said-upper and lower ball joints on both sides are shot. Their price to fix them was $1150! That’s $150 more than the first shop!
E-L-E-V-E-N H-U-N-D-R-E-D AND F-I-F-T-Y DOLLARS!
And then another $300 to replace the two front tires!
I guess I should be grateful that they lasted 160,000 miles. The mechanic said that they usually go out at around 80,000 miles.
My son left to train with the Kansas state freestyle team yesterday. He will be training there for one week and then riding on the team bus to Fargo, ND for the Junior National Freestyle Wrestling tournament.
This is his first camp where he is leaving home for an extended time! Somewhere in the foggy recesses of my mind, I remember that I too left home for a week long wrestling camp between my junior and senior years in high school.
I wish that every day was like today.
In six hours, I officially gifted the car to my second daughter, got it checked for emissions, registered the car and put on her new Tennessee plates.
She completed her application for community college, learned exactly what she needs to do to become a nurse and got a job at the Red Lobster.
We went out for lunch together and got lost in the hills of Tennessee and received a warning instead of a ticket for speeding!
All of this by 4:30!
Before we registered the car, we had to take it to a vehicle emission inspection station. Now, having lived in California for 31 years, I had certain expectations of what this test would be like.
Fortunately, I picked the fastest moving line.
We pulled in and the attendant connect his device to the car. About one minute later, he asked “Is the car running?”
He was serious! I guess the car was producing so little emissions that he thought I had turned the car off!
I replied “Yes. This is a California car. It should pass with no problem!”
And it did!
My day got off to a great start. My second daughter and I went to register her “new” car with the Williamson County Clerk. I told the woman behind the counter that I wanted to give the car to her.
She asked “Are you boyfriend and girlfriend, husband and wife, brother or sister…?”
I didn’t know where she was going to take this next, so I blurted out “She’s my daughter!”
She was a little embarrassed by her mistake and then said “Oh, really! Well, you look really young!”
She was serious!
As I walked into the living room of the house where my second daughter is now staying, I heard someone singing a worship song. It sounded like my daughter, but I wasn’t sure. I mean it has been such a long time since I heard her sing…
I crept quietly up the stairs and peeked…
it was her!
I quickly went back down the stairs and tried to compose myself.
It seems that I do that fairly regularly. Thankfully, it is usually a good thing.
And she didn’t really cry. Her eyes just welled up with tears.
This morning, I told my second daughter that we (all of us in KC) wanted to help her turn her life around and that we had made a family decision to give her the car that we drove down in.
She had no idea. I think that she was a little overwhelmed.
It was precious!
My second daughter’s boss gave her the night off. Instead of working until midnight and leaving in the morning, we decided to leave right away.
I took her to say good-bye to her best friend, to the restaurant to pick up her last check and say good-bye to more friends and then deposited her check at the bank. She was crying. She knows that this move to Nashville is right but that doesn’t make leaving close friends any easier.
We drove for several hours and got reacquainted. I had to keep reminding myself that even though she is making this change and I am helping her, she is still a young adult woman on her own. She doesn’t necessarily want my opinion on things.
After driving for several hours, I decided to find a place to sleep. I tried another Hampton Inn since last night went so well.
$153 per night!
“What about a AAA discount?”
“Not tonight. There is a big race at one of the tracks in the area and a big country music concert. We only have two rooms left.”
Back on the road until I saw a Super 8. I had a good experience with them in Wichita Falls, TX.
The first thing that got my attention was the price-$99 plus taxes. I thought “prices just must be higher in this area of the country.”
The room was clean, but then I started to notice things.
The toilet was so close to the wall that you had to slide onto the seat from the side so that you could avoid the toilet paper holder. When I went to turn off the light, I noticed that four 4″ tiles were missing.
The bed was comfortable but the pillows were lumpy. I fought with them all night!
When I awoke for the FINAL time in the morning, I was kicking myself for paying so much for such a poor quality room especially when I thought of my stay in the Hampton Inn in night before!
We got ready, jumped back in the car and resumed our trek to Nashville. In less than 10 miles, we saw many nice hotels advertising prices of $49.95!
Why didn’t I just drive a little further?
Before I left Kansas City, I tried to schedule a tour the Chicago Board of Options Exchange but could only leave a message.
The woman in charge returned my call somewhere in Iowa and told me that they are not conducting tours during the summer.
“Is there an individual that can give me a short, mini-tour?”
“No. Everyone is very busy and held to a very tight schedule. I am sure that you are in Chicago often.”
“No, I’m not. In fact, this will be the first time and I am just passing through on the way to help my daughter.”
“Well, I’m sorry.”
“What if God gives me favor with a security guard and he takes me? Would I be doing anything wrong?”
“No.”
We hung up.
This morning, I walked up to the front desk and told the security guard what you just read. He asked, “What was the woman’s name?” I told him.
“Let’s call her.”
Now, I didn’t want to upset this woman so I volunteered to talk to her.
She answered the phone, “Is there some guy down there that wants a tour?”
“Yes.”
“I told him yesterday…”
I started laughing hysterically. When I could catch my breath, I told her, “I know you did. I’m that guy.”
“You just don’t get the message very easily, do you?”
“Look, let me tell you a story…(I then proceeded to tell her about meeting Dan Gable yesterday)…So, I’m here. I have to at least try!”
“Well, today is your lucky day.”
She came down and personally gave me the tour as well as some good, sound advice for my investing in the future!
The Bible says that “you have not because you ask not.” I am at least going to make sure that I ask!
