The Wendling crashes the Sanctimobile.

My son is all right. My car may be totaled.

This all started on Saturday afternoon when I got the oil changed in my trusty 2006 Toyota Prius, a.k.a. the Sanctimobile. The service tech showed me a bulge in the left rear tire and recommended I get it replaced soon. I had plans that night and last night, and that bulge could have been there for weeks, so I figured I could get it taken care of this coming Saturday. I drove the length of Seattle a couple of times going to various Halloween festivities.

This morning, m'boy was on his way to school, going from southbound I-5 to eastbound I-90, when one of his tires blew. He lost control of the car, and as I later pieced together from multiple phone calls and texts, he hit the barrier, then another car, then the barrier again. He called me. I called AAA from the bus. The Seattle police showed up and called a tow truck. He cancelled the AAA tow. Ex picked up my badly shaken son and took him home. He'll be staying the night at her place.

Since this morning, I've found out that one of the axles broke, which must have made the car damn nigh impossible to control, a nightmare scenario for a driver. Ex generously paid for the tow, and I've since phoned in the insurance claim. Because of the broken axle, there's a good chance the insurance company will declare it totaled.

I've learned something that makes me feel better, if not my poor son: the tire that blew was one of the front tires. The one with the bulge? The left rear, if you'll recall. Replacing that one tire, which I was planning on doing*, would have done him no good.

Poor kid. This was a learning experience for him, but I wish it didn't have to be quite so scary. And he's understandably mad at me, or at least he was a few hours ago.



*Yeah, you're supposed to replace them in at least pairs and preferably full sets, but they were pretty good for tread. I'm pretty sure they were within their projected lifespan.

Halloweekend (part 3 of 3)

Made it to the Baltic Room last night in the pouring rain. Chatted with Diminutive, dementiana, and some ladies with some serious Goth wardrobe game. It's strange venturing into the parallel Goth universe that isn't the Merc, Re-bar, or El Norte; it's a pity that Resurrection is on Sunday. Stayed long enough to have a brief chat with Gnome, my reason for being there, who looked amazing in a horned headdress covered in animal bones and skulls. We talked about Folsom and fiftieth birthdays. I kissed her good night and got home to m'boy by midnight, as promised.

By the numbers:
Halloween celebrations attended: 3
Ladies snogged: 3