For the past couple of weeks every time I've gone somewhere in my car I've had a more difficult time getting it to start. My dad was going to check the battery this weekend to see if it was low on water.

Well, yesterday after work I headed to the library to drop off a couple of books. When I got back to my car, I realized that I had a problem.

Btw - to complete this picture. -- It is a Friday after 4 p.m. and it is drizzling/raining off and on.

My car would. not. start. I have roadside service with Cingular, but I couldn't remember the customer service number. (I thought it was *66, but apparently not.) So I went inside the library to look it up in a phone book.

When I came back outside, I noticed there were people in the car next to mine getting ready to leave. I hurried to their car and got their attention and asked if they would be willing to jump my car. The man was willing (an older oriental man) but did not have cables. I thought I had cables in my trunk, but they were nowhere to be found.

So, I go back inside to ask the security guard if he happens to have any. He doesn't, but does follow me outside. At this point a woman pulls into the spot on the other side of me. I ask her if she has cables -- she does!

So now the security guard and the first man get my car jump started. The woman with the cables gives me the name of her trusted mechanic. I thank everyone profusely for their help and start driving (well, not before having the security guard flirt with me a bit!)

I'm trying to decide what the best thing is to do. I know that now that my car is started, I better not turn it off until I'm someplace where I know I can get it going again easily. I decide to head to the place I got my oxygen sensor replaced at.

When I get there I ask them if they sell Interstate batteries (because that's what my dad told me my battery was). They didn't. So then I decide to go to the place where I had my car inspected a couple months ago.

They confirm that my battery is dead, but that it isn't an Interstate battery - in fact they're not sure what kind it is. They then replace it with an Interstate battery ($86.xx with 72 mo warranty). Then they run a test to make sure the problem was the battery.

Bad news. My alternator is dead (which is what caused my battery to die in the first place.)

These guys give me an estimate of $130+ $100 labor + tax for a rebuilt one, and $180 + $100 labor + tax for a new one with lifetime warranty. My dad tells me that he thinks both of these figures are WAY out there and tells me to give him a little time to check with the person who fixed his alternator a few years ago.

He calls me back about 15 minutes later. This person will do it for $75 + $25-40 labor + tax. Woo hoo! But this person is in the town where my dad lives. About 80 minutes from where I am.

When I tell the mechanics that I've decided to go with someone else who gave me a much less expensive estimate, they start giving me all these dire predictions about how my battery will be drained within one - four hours depending on how much I use my headlights/wipers.

I still decided to go with the less expensive option. I did however drive the 10 minutes or so home with just my parking lights on and minimal use of my wipers. Not fun when its getting dark out and it's raining.

My dad came last night and spent the night, then this morning he drove it to the shop he found. I'm now just waiting to find out if the guy can fix it today or if it'll have to wait till Monday.

Thank goodness for Dad's and thank goodness for having money set aside in a car repair fund, and thank goodness for the kindness of strangers!

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So far this visit from Murphy has cost me a total of: $107.13 The cost of the alternator: ? $100 - 125 + tax. Plus probably another tank of gas - ~$20

ETA - Just got a call from my dad. The alternator is fixed! Cost: $129 total. He also filled up my gas tank - $1.93/gallon -- $17.82.

He is also going to check at the local Discount Tire place to see what it would take to fix the vibration in my car. He thinks my front wheel is bent and is causing the vibration. May as well get it fixed now since he has my car and I'm already spending money on it!