En-titled
There was a slight glitch this morning, but beyond that I am happy to be able to report that I am finally done with the rental car and am once again a proud vehicle owner.
The glitch had to do with a deposit I made yesterday that had immediately cleared for use, but then some time after midnight last night Chase Bank decided to put the deposit on "hold" while checking to make sure the check issuer, a large company that drew the check on a Chase account, actually had the money there. Which resulted in me not being able to use my debit card to pay DMV for the vehicle registration, becuase I was showing a suddenly HUGE overdraft. Which in turn complicated the return of the rental car. Thankfully, I had my checkbook to write a check for DMV. Enterprise doesn't take checks, though, so I had to use my company credit card and then write my company a check for the amount I put on the card. Not something I like to make a habit of, it should be noted. I'd already planned to give my mechanic the down-payment on the car by check (per his request), so that part wasn't a problem.
Of course, before I knew what Chase had done, I had that momentary panic of "fuck, someone got my card number and has stolen several thousand dollars." (And believe you me, actually having several thousand dollars to be stolen is not a regular thing for me at all.) My branch manager was able to show me what happened, but a phone call revealed the hold would not be released until midnight tonight. Which would make putting gas in the new car, which is almost on empty, a bit difficult. Once again, thankfully (someone must be watching out for me), someone at Chase decided to release the hold a full twelve hours earlier than I'd been told, so I am once again able to purchase gasoline, go to the ATM, etc etc etc. Which is good, because I'm in charge of bringing the chips, dip and salsa to the dinner party at my sister's house on Saturday.
I feel like I've forgotten something ....
Oh! The car. Hopefully I will be able to post a photo tonight, but it's a dark blue (almost black) 1992 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera wagon. Not quite a full station wagon. It's sort of funny: it has automatic door locks (locks you in the car, not out) but hand-operated windows and side-view mirrors. It has a lighter and ashtray, but no actual cup-holders. It has, as I have stated before, a tape-deck. And the clock is a good 6 hours ahead (or behind, depending on how you look at it).
I've been asked if I've named it yet. I have not. I started out my driving career with the "Blue Fishbowl," my much-missed blue Pacer. From 1987 - 1998 I drove "The Millenium Coupe," my blue Chevy Cavalier coupe. The short-lived red Ford Escort two-door never got a name, nor did my last car, the green-blue Ford Escort mini-wagon that has served me faithfully for the past 5 years. Perhaps it is time to Name my vehicle again. (I am not known for naming my inanimate objects. I know people who name every laptop, ipod, bicycle, etc. I'm not one of those, although I did name my GPS unit "Minerva," after Professor Minerva McGonagle. Because she finds a way to be sincere yet ruthless when she's telling me what I'm doing wrong.)
So ... thoughts on a name?
The glitch had to do with a deposit I made yesterday that had immediately cleared for use, but then some time after midnight last night Chase Bank decided to put the deposit on "hold" while checking to make sure the check issuer, a large company that drew the check on a Chase account, actually had the money there. Which resulted in me not being able to use my debit card to pay DMV for the vehicle registration, becuase I was showing a suddenly HUGE overdraft. Which in turn complicated the return of the rental car. Thankfully, I had my checkbook to write a check for DMV. Enterprise doesn't take checks, though, so I had to use my company credit card and then write my company a check for the amount I put on the card. Not something I like to make a habit of, it should be noted. I'd already planned to give my mechanic the down-payment on the car by check (per his request), so that part wasn't a problem.
Of course, before I knew what Chase had done, I had that momentary panic of "fuck, someone got my card number and has stolen several thousand dollars." (And believe you me, actually having several thousand dollars to be stolen is not a regular thing for me at all.) My branch manager was able to show me what happened, but a phone call revealed the hold would not be released until midnight tonight. Which would make putting gas in the new car, which is almost on empty, a bit difficult. Once again, thankfully (someone must be watching out for me), someone at Chase decided to release the hold a full twelve hours earlier than I'd been told, so I am once again able to purchase gasoline, go to the ATM, etc etc etc. Which is good, because I'm in charge of bringing the chips, dip and salsa to the dinner party at my sister's house on Saturday.
I feel like I've forgotten something ....
Oh! The car. Hopefully I will be able to post a photo tonight, but it's a dark blue (almost black) 1992 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera wagon. Not quite a full station wagon. It's sort of funny: it has automatic door locks (locks you in the car, not out) but hand-operated windows and side-view mirrors. It has a lighter and ashtray, but no actual cup-holders. It has, as I have stated before, a tape-deck. And the clock is a good 6 hours ahead (or behind, depending on how you look at it).
I've been asked if I've named it yet. I have not. I started out my driving career with the "Blue Fishbowl," my much-missed blue Pacer. From 1987 - 1998 I drove "The Millenium Coupe," my blue Chevy Cavalier coupe. The short-lived red Ford Escort two-door never got a name, nor did my last car, the green-blue Ford Escort mini-wagon that has served me faithfully for the past 5 years. Perhaps it is time to Name my vehicle again. (I am not known for naming my inanimate objects. I know people who name every laptop, ipod, bicycle, etc. I'm not one of those, although I did name my GPS unit "Minerva," after Professor Minerva McGonagle. Because she finds a way to be sincere yet ruthless when she's telling me what I'm doing wrong.)
So ... thoughts on a name?