..... whether to laugh or cry.I will go with cry....
You all know my current financial state (which is non-existent, I have no money at all right now... none, zip, nada) - Desperate to pay my bills this month - I put together a last minute trip to Chicago. Figured - visit some friends and make a little money modeling. A good buddy in Alabama sent me a few dollars to help me get to the city (very helpful - thank you so much!) - Just enough money to cover gas and tolls... I packed the car, started driving westward...
Life was just swell!!..... Driving through Indiana. Listening to Neko Case - singing some Jenny Lewis. Top down, sixty degrees out, sunshine all over the place.... A brilliant afternoon! Glorious afternoon! Great day for a drive!
....And then...... The Mustang's battery light on switched on.And then the car began to overheat...
And then it just stopped moving - stopped working...
Right there. Somewhere near mile-marker 88 in Indi-fucking-ana.... my car up-n-died on the side of the road.
Dialed 411. Triple A "Do you recognize any definitive landmarks that will help our driver locate you?" "Well, hmmmm.... cows. I see cows! And I see geese. A few of the geese are hanging out with a white colored duck... they are just inside of a red barn" "Well - lets see - that does not help much" "Yea, sorry - This is hopeless - It is Indiana."
What the hell, right? I am upset. First off, I love my car and I do not like when it has to go to the shop. That car is my only form of escape - I talk to it when I am alone (yes, I talk to my car - I am totally crazy. You are reading a crazy-lady's blog - what is worse? Me for being the car-talking craz-ee or you for reading about it?) Still broke - as a goat - living on a farm in Indiana. The tow truck guy dropped me off at a Motel 6. I chatted with the lady at the front desk for a long time... Guess her car had kicked the bucket the week before and she has been down-and-out too. Without asking, she just gave me a room for $20 flat. While I do not listen to Joan Osborne all that often, I s
till cannot help but wonder, "What if God was one of us?"... Think about it......because, I mean, if Lady at the Front Desk was God helping a girl out - I just got to give God a bear-hug and a half eaten bag of cheese-its!Had to cancel my shoots for tomorrow morning - I NEEDED those shoots. Needed them. Fucking needed them. Was counting on them. While one of the photographers rescheduled - the other one informed me that "Next to dead grandmas stories, car excuses are most overused cliche excuses to exist" He went on to tell me that he was disappointed in me, That he would never consider rescheduling with me.. blah blah blah. I offered to send him photos of my car - but he went on to tell me to stick things where the sun does not shine......
I take it personally when someone say that they are disappointed in me....Even when it is not my fault....
Scared about tomorrow. This entire situation is just screwed up - Stuck at a motel 6 in a bad part of town - no car - not even sure where they took my car, they gave me a business card and told me to call in the morning - I left my cell phone charger in Ohio - I do not know anyone in Indiana..... I wish I had someone to hug.... maybe I will go read the second Twilight novel to get out of reality for a bit.
Photos: Again, Mr Mike Long out of Portland OR - rocking some great photos....
22 comments:
I am so sorry for you doll! I wish we were close friends...Im in Illinois...I would have come got you because I know how it is! That is so nice of the lady to give you a room for $20. As for that photographer FUCK HIM! My rules are sometimes things happen and your alloweed to cancel on someone once when something is wrong and everyone should get a second chance! Hope everything ended up alright for you!
Sending out all of the BEAR HUGS you could possibly ever want. I hope you are not crying, I hate it when people cry. It's not crazy talking to your car. When you have spend so much time, and done so much with it, there is nothing wrong with it. I think it would be wrong if you didn't talk to the Mustang. Besides, if it makes you feel good, what is wrong with that? Things are going to get better. Just keep plugging, and remember: If you need us, you got us.
:)
are you in a town called Muncie?
I have a friend that you MAY be able to talk to. I don't know how much help they can be... but she and her hubby are pretty cool.
She's the only cat in Indiana that I know of.
AS for being scared. I have been there and all I can say is... as you've witnessed, God is watching over you, bud. Take tomorrow one hour at a time and stay calm. You're not in another country. You're not in the middle of a war. You have that going for you. Things will look up.
The photographer that chewed you out, sorry to say, is an ass in my professional opinion. Even IF he turned down another paying gig so he could photograph you, he shouldn't have done what he did. I've had people that couldn't make it and sure it's a pain in the ass, but you know what... 90% of the time you can't blame the person for the problem. I know it doesn't help you, but if it were me, I'd see if there wasn't something I could do and say it's totally cool to reschedule. No biggie.
It may turn out that shooting with that photographer would have been a bad situation for you anyways and THAT, is why you are having this situation happen. You weren't supposed to photograph with him. Or, something has been avoided because of this major setback.
Gotta look at it in various points of insight. I do hope your car gets fixed and hey, I talk to my Jeep, so I'm just as crazy. Doubly so because I read your blog lol.
If I can help you... I'll try what I can.
I hope things turn out for the better for you later today bud.
I talk to your car, too!
Here's hoping that everything works out for you.
OP
The car broke down near South Bend - at least that is where I was towed to. It is a small college town (Notre Dame)....
Just woke up - car place called to inform me that the repairs total to $322. I do not know what to do - I guess I am going to call my credit card company as ask for a $300 increase.... and if that does not work.... I am going to marry a pig-farmer and settle down on a farm somewhere......
I hate my life today.
I just want to go back to sleep and have everything taken care of when I wake up... there are a million ways out of this, I am sure of it. Why can I not think of something....?
YAY! They approved immediate temporary authorization for $300! Yay! I won't have to marry a pig farmer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What did they say was wrong with it? Sounds like a broken belt (did your power steering go out as well?), which shouldn't be $322.
Correct - it was the belt. I could see it hanging off my car yesterday when I was getting towed....
....But the belt broke because... what did the guy on the phone say? There is a loose bearing that is wobbling against the belt and needs to be replaced - it is adding to the fraying.... and the water pump has something wrong with it... and there was one other thing, but I can't remember it.... I am so bad with car stuff. But it all sounded legit.
Two more hours - pick it up - get my ass to Chicago. Shooting with Jerry till 5 - dinner... life will be back on track.
I am going to hug my car when I see it..... poor car....
OK, that sounds legit for a water pump. I had to do the same thing on my car a couple of weeks ago.
London, do you have a Paypal account? I've bought some of your auction stuff but I forgot. You should get one of those Paypal debit cards so if one of your fans sends you money you have access to it right away. It works like a Mastercard. They come in handy.
I am so sorry
my best wishes for you.
Hey London, sending you oodles and oodles of hugs from Portland!
I live near the Chicago area. It's too bad I'm not a photographer, nor could I afford to pay you.
I can draw, though, so hypothetical you could be a model for that--but again we come back to me not having the money to pay you and I'm still not helpful. It's too bad. You seem like a cool person and it'd be fun to hang out with you.
I hope everything works out, though. I recently had the belt go ker-plooey on my car, so I completely understand how helpless that feels.
Yeah, it's frustrating when a model calls off, but at least you were professional and didn't just NCNS. And Shutterbug, there's a reason car excuses are so 'cliche', because they actually happen so often! Jerk. He knew you were coming from Ohio, how did he think you were getting there, flapping your wings? If he couldn't reschedule, fine. It happens. But to chew your ass like that was unprofessional. And this is from a 25-year shooter.
I am ok. I picked up the car at Noon.... no problems after the credit card company gave me the temporary extension. My shoot with Jerry went really well... working with him put me a great mood. I am staying with my friends Ted and Ashley in Chicago - Ashley raided her modeling clothes and gave me a bunch of fun new stuff to shoot in... they are great couple, I am happy they live here....
But my car.... well.... it is still.... not right. The battery light keeps coming on - the car shakes. Anytime I sit at a stoplight or park my car - the engine starts to overheat and I have to shut off the car. Anyone know what it could be?
Oh my dear!
No news is good news,
Your news sound like rather bad news at the beginning.
Drop that photo guy, that doesn't have enough balls to handle an emergency.
Obviously not used to being served the bare truth. poor soul.
Sending warm sun and easter air from Norway!
Following Your car descriptions for some time, in my opinion, it should get a thorough check- up,
Easter-mecanic-cuddle, change wearing parts like water pump and alternator,( sounds like the brushes / coal contacts on regulator have worn down) belts and tightening rolls on the belts,temperature sensor on radiator ( which operates the electric fan on the radiator, if You have one...), flush and clean the radiator, change coolant in it, radiators become clogged after some years, if not coolant is changed and system is rinsed.
Then they cool very bad.and car overheats when no driving draft is existant.
mercyless hitting You when ignored, when it suits worst.( as You described)
Sorry to say, but it never fails.
In the long run, it never does..
Costs money, as car seems to go anyway, but makes a car reliable to use in the long run.
Good to hear You are going again.
Sending You all the best wishes across the big pond,
good luck
“Dusk, is just an illusion, because the sun is either above the horizon or below it. And that means that day and night are linked in a way that few things are; there cannot be one without the other, yet they cannot exist at the same time. How would it feel, I remember wondering to be always together, yet forever apart?”
Hey love. Call me. My folks live in Indiana. My dad would totally come find you if you break down again.
So sorry to hear of your financial difficulties. But reading through your blog, its obvious you have the personality and drive to get through this.
Wish I could help you out, but unfortunately London, I live in London (UK).
Over here I'm seeing alot of plus-sized and voluptuous models like yourself springing up on adverts and campaigns. This 'real woman' look is finally fighting back against the 'size zero' look which unfortunately has plagued our youth. But a curvaceous and obviously photogenic lady like yourself would go down a storm over here.
Wish I had some contacts, but unfortunately, I'm just a normal 22 year old guy working his socks off for scraps just to pay my bills over here too. I wish you the best of luck though London, really do.
So sorry to hear of your financial difficulties. But reading through your blog, its obvious you have the personality and drive to get through this.
Wish I could help you out, but unfortunately London, I live in London (UK).
Over here I'm seeing alot of plus-sized and voluptuous models like yourself springing up on adverts and campaigns. This 'real woman' look is finally fighting back against the 'size zero' look which unfortunately has plagued our youth. But a curvaceous and obviously photogenic lady like yourself would go down a storm over here.
Wish I had some contacts, but unfortunately, I'm just a normal 22 year old guy working his socks off for scraps just to pay my bills over here too. I wish you the best of luck though London, really do.
Not long after my belt broke, the coolant light would start coming on. turns out it was leaking coolant.
Of course, it turned out to be the water pump. But since they replaced your water pump, that's clearly not the problem. It also wouldn't explain the battery light...
Battery light means the alternator isn't charging the battery, and since the alternator runs off the same belt as the water pump, the shop probably didn't do the job right. Take the car to another shop, have them diagnose it, if the original shop's work is faulty, do a chargeback on the credit card.
Wowza... I am glad you were able to get fixed and get movin. Sendin huggs.
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