Universal Repairs

Bruce and I got into a huge fight.

I don't remember what it was about.  Tensions have been high in the house, what with the cat pee situation, the smashed car situation, and moodiness from all parties involved.  Bruce has a health condition that can be triggered by stress that he has been dealing that, too.  It makes him grouchy.  And that makes me upset and sensitive.

So the other day we offered to pick up Mexican food for dinner for everyone.  Bruce's parents watched the baby and the two of us went.  Alone time is so rare for us.  You know those couples you see arguing in public? They might live with their in-laws.  When we are having a couple's quarrel, we don't even feel comfortable going behind closed doors.  The walls are thin around here.  When I really am about to explode I've even typed my thoughts onto my cell phone and shown them to Bruce, rather than risk being overheard by his parents.  It's so frustrating.  Not being able to vocalize your true feelings can really build up pressure.

We got in the car, and that's when everything came spilling out.  Before we arrived at the burrito place I was almost in tears.  We continued our fight inside, after we ordered, quietly.  Yeah, we were that couple.

On the drive back things got worse.  I was so pissed.  I felt like Bruce just didn't understand (whatever it was).  Bruce was sick and tired of everything.  As we pulled into the driveway, I thought about going in and how I would have to wipe my tears, put a fake smile on my face, and have a miserable meal at the table with his parents.  I just couldn't do it.  Not that time.

I refused to go in.  Eventually, Bruce stopped trying to persuade me and stomped off, bag of food in hand.  I didn't care.  I got behind the wheel, turned the key, put in an Ani DiFranco CD, and reversed out of there.

The sun was starting to set and I headed west, the autumn leaves on the trees glowing brightly in the rays.  I felt like a teenager again, back in my hometown, driving around to escape my family and calm my raging emotions. 

After several songs of me singing loudly along, I found myself on the other side of town with a fairly empty gas tank.  I stopped and filled up.  I didn't feel so bad anymore.  Not that I wanted to go back and see everyone.  I decided to go home the roundabout way.  I figured that would give enough time for Bruce's parents to finish up eating and retire to the couch.  I could come in, sit down, and consume my reheated burrito without much awkwardness.

The first thing I noticed was that the car's heat didn't seem to be on.  The air blowing in at full blast - that's the only way the air/heat works - was mild, even though I had the dial turned to the red section.  Then something smelled funny.  That prompted me to look at the temperature gauge.  Normally between cold and hot, it was now all the way up.  Shit.  The car was overheating.

I parked in a close Walgreens lot.  I don't know a lot about cars (though I did recently read an auto repair book), but my brother does.  So I called him as I walked around the store.  I still didn't want to talk to Bruce.  My brother wasn't able to come help me, though, so I had to.

Bruce showed up quickly in his dad's car.  He didn't say much and neither did I.  He opened the hood of the car, checked around, and headed into the store.  He came out with some coolant, poured some in.  He told me he would drive our car, and I would follow him in the other.

We drove about five minutes before he pulled over again.  While I waited, he checked under the hood.  It was completely dark outside by now and he had to use the flashlight app on his phone.  He added more coolant.  We clearly had a leak.  Unbelievable.  How much would this cost us?!  Fortune was not on our side.  We now had two broken cars.

Conveniently, the body shop we trust was nearby.  We dropped the keys into the nightbox and left the car there.  We were both depressed by this time.  The fight had been forgotten. 

The ailment Bruce has? He recently went to the doctor and was prescribed medicine for it.  On the way home, both of us in his dad's car, we stopped by the store.  This particular mega-grocery offers coupons of $20 off your next purchase when you start a new prescription there.  The coupons print out after you pay in line.  But I didn't have one.  I hated the thought of missing out on a free $20.  So you know what we did?  This is embarrassing to admit, but we walked up and down the checkout aisles looking to see if anyone had left one behind.  Nothing.

Utterly dejected, we headed towards the pharmacy.  Suddenly, Bruce stopped.  He walked towards where the DVD and toy machines are.  He picked up a piece of paper.

A coupon!

I'm not kidding you.  I was ridiculously overjoyed at saving that little bit of money.  In that moment, I could see so clearly.  It was all a sign: YOU NEED BRUCE.  Not in a dependent, sappy, nauseating Jerry Maguire "you complete me" kind of way.  In a committed, partnership, 'you took vows and don't you forget it' kind of way.  I tried to go out on my own and the damn universe made him rescue me.  Even if I had remembered the information from the auto repair manual, someone would've needed to come get me when it was plain that the car's anti-freeze was leaking.  And surely I would have never seen that coupon.

We went home, together.  Bruce's parents didn't ask too many questions, for which I was thankful.  The auto shop called in the morning and the repairs weren't that expensive.  Phew!  Actually, we were able to pay in cash.  That's new for us; normally we'd have to put it on a credit card.  That in itself is really satisfying.

Bruce and I are better now.  I don't think that the tension or stilted communication will ease up while we live here.  We're going to continue to have issues, and it will still be hard to talk about them at home.  I do think, though, that we will handle them as they occur knowing that in the long run, we will be stronger.

After all, we have the universe on our side.