ok, well my prediction that my windshield would shatter was way off. I was completely wrong. I wish that I'd been right. A shattered windshield, burning antifreeze, and a blown tire are all much better than a dead car. Which is what I have now. After two miles of thick bluish-black smoke erupting from my tailpipe and hood and a violent engine shudder that would have shook a baby to death, I finally got my car to Ross-Greenville Automotive, and Alan told me that the Oil System was blowing oil into every other system in the engine. 99% dead. Short of replacing the engine completely, my car is no more than a comically oversized paperweight. I called my dad to let him know, and he had the audacity to suggest that we replace the engine. Now the problem with this scenario is that, based upon every other thing that my dad purchases, we would not be putting a new engine into the car. It would be an old engine with a completely different set of problems. The other option that he suggested was that he give me the truck back. I'm sorry, but I got rid of that disaster-on-wheels because it was unsafe to drive. What with its faulty starter, leaky coolant, and broken clutch sleeve. Remember when I told you that dad? No you probably wouldn't. I told my mom, and she offered me the other Buick. She said that other than the brakes, which need replaced, the car runs great. Now that wasn't my perception at all when I visited in April and we couldn't even get the engine to turn over despite the fact that it had a new battery and a decent alternator. Now call me selfish, but I'm tired of driving cars that my family has tired of driving. It's not used cars that I have a problem with. It's this string of shitty hand-me-down cars. I'm tired of driving cast-offs, and I'm tired of wearing Dudley's old sweaters. So it's quite possible that, for the first time, I will be staking out on my own to purchase a car. God help us all.