Oh, What a Beautiful Morning?

Today's number is 40250. Or 405251. A different angle makes it 18223, but
this is a count-down, not an add up. Why is it so tough to get you folks to
figure it out? Yesterday, I could also have said 6250, but nobody would
understand that.

I awoke this morning to a cool, damp day. Cloudy, no chance of doing what I
hope to do.
I need to go down to the Co-op, get some stuff (And I have to take a
freaking detour -- bridge out!)

It's shortly after noon when I get to the co-op, and get the stuff that's
been set out. A quick fill -- the day is looking nice, now. It might just
be a nice day.

I have to drop off the stuff I got. So, I go deliver it, and I am on the
way home. I turn onto the paved road...and the truck starts acting up. The
speedometer is jumping around, and I think it may be that I've turned the
key too far. I don't want to take chances on the highway, I want to get
home. That's great. I'm on the home street now. I stop, turn off the
engine. I figure it will clear the problem.

I start up, the truck is doing the same freaking thing. This is NOT good.
Zero to 50 to 20 to 50 back to zero and up to 40 again. Fortunately just a
mile home., and I'll check things out there.
Pull in, stop. Look under the hood. No apparent problems. Back to start
and check again. OOPS. It's not starting! Not even the slightest turnover
No clicks. Nothing. I find a bad fuse, but don't have a proper
replacement. I find something else. Nope. That truck is as dead as a 3000
year old mummy.

Just when the day starts looking good, things go wrong. I let the truck
cool, go and check under it. Muffler damaged. No help. Looking under hood,
trying to find trouble. No sign. Belts ok, Oil ok, gas OK, coolant ok.
Except for the one fuse, there shouldn't be a problem. But the truck just
won't start.

I'm under the truck, and it starts to rain. It clouded up in a very short
time. And what do we have to show for the day? A truck that doesn't work.
No way to fix it until Monday, at earliest AND we need to have it towed in.
That's another hundred we can't afford. I tell ya, I must be cursed.

I fear we'll find it is going to cost more to repair that truck than it's
worth. After 2 tires, and a brake job last month, we get hit again, this
time by an unknown problem which with the symptom is "It won't start! "

I'd just bury the beast. But what can we do without transport? I know
where I can get a car for a grand...but I don't HAVE a grand!

Will someone turn off the bad luck machine, please?