||Going Without|| - The Quest To Find... (Con't)

{{Zune Says - Chromeo feat. Kid Sister - Tenderoni (Sinden Remix)}}

So I have been absent from the blogosphere for a few weeks - with school starting, family visiting, and life stressing - I managed to forget all about the computer and the separate life that that entails. Lucky for us, I have an hour and a half block in between classes, and instead of studying, I choose to take it and blog.

Lemme start off by saying, I got my new car! I won't post any pics of it - due to the unknown whereabouts of my stalker. He'll find this blog eventually, I'm sure - and realize the Chococat no longer exists. I hope he has fun following it for a while, though - cuz the lady who bought it lives blocks away from me, and has big curly hair like me. ((Buahahah)) I went through a lot of pains to get this vehicle out on the road, part of which is completely my fault. I am well known for being a kind-hearted person, and I ever since I started this meat-fast - I have discovered that this virtue has been working to my disadvantage. The dealer I have purchased the car from was gracious enough to allow me to pay 75% of the car at one time, and the other 25% when I sold my old car. I put "Chococat" on Craigslist, and within a day, I begun getting callers to look at it. After the first two days, I got a call from a young gentleman who was really interested in buying the car. He had a Celica that died on him the previous day, and needed a vehicle. I waited around for him for a few hours, and when he didn't show up - I called his cell phone. Come to find out - the cell phone was his mother's - and he didn't have one. Alrighty then. I waited for another hour, because I had to go to work, and got a call from him. The celica had dropped dead on him on his way to my house (mind you he lives about an hour away), but he was trying to come anyway. I called my job and told them I'd be late. Long story short - another hour passed, and I called out of work. I did this simply because my lateness was considered an absence - so might as well enjoy the day, right? Needless to say, homeboy didn't show up.

The next day, I was showing the car to a few other people, mostly parents and their teenaged children. I discovered that a lot of the parents didn't seem to trust their children with this car, because they already understood what the car was capable of. Most kids of driving age lust after that make and model because of the modification possibilities.

{{Tangent: This Trey Songz album and mixtape are sick!! Currently listening to "Does She Know" as I sit in the library...}}

Anyway, dude called me that day. Told me what happened to the celica. I offered to bring the car to his house, had Lou follow me to his house an hour away. I brought the title, and a drafted bill of sale, just in case they wanted to do the deal. Dude happened to be from NY, just moved down here - so I felt a bit of sympathy. He took the car for a spin, had his father give it the once, twice, thrice over - and decided he wanted it. They managed to find flaws in the car and cut the price down. I, being thirsty for the vehicle I had waiting for me - accepted the offer (even though it was a few hundred less than my asking price), and we shook on it. I go to reach in my bag for the B.O.S. - and dude says, "I want the car - BUT - we don't have the cash right now."

{{Red Flag #1}}

He told me he would have the money in a week. His uncle was sending him money. I was going on my mini-vacation over the course of that week, so I told him okay, since I wouldn't be home anyway. The week passed, and no money. He called and said he was still waiting. I told him okay. I actually felt bad for the kid. Unfortunately for me, though - summer vacation started taking its toll on my wallet. Between taking care of all those kids, and bills, and my personal vacation - I was dwindling dangerously low. I started getting antsy and skeptical about the deal. My father warned me - my heart dismissed his alert and decided to wait. Another week passed, no money. Finally, as I started getting ready to put the car back up for sale - he calls me. "My mom has the money." Lou went to his house for the money, the mom expected the car to be there. You can't get a car unless you pay for it - from what I know. So in essence, Lou wasted his time driving there for nothing. Next day, I skip class and we drive there together, with the car. Mom comes outside - with her Checkbook in tow.

{{Red Flag #2}}

When I saw the checkbook, I started feelin some kind of way. Got that pang in my stomach that makes me nervous. She comes downstairs and looks at the car again. Starts talking in creole.

{{Red Flag #3}}

She tells him that there are things wrong with the car (visually) that she did not see before. The seat is torn, sunburn, blah. I took $50 off and told him go get some seat covers. Mom straight disrespects me and cuts the price down by $300 more dollars!

EXCUSE ME??

Of course at this point, I am starting to feel the NY coming up in my chest. Mom is here saying her husband made a mistake when he agreed to buy the car. I calmly put the B.O.S. back into my purse - looked at Louis and told him in Spanish - "I'm gonna curse her out soon. We should go." She still tries her luck. I told her thank you for wasting my time, and got in the car and left. I could see the look of dispair in the kid's eyes - but at this point, I was feelin type heartless. We drive about a mile away, and get a phone call from the Mom. She's asking for $200 below our agreed price. I tell her no. Calls back again. $100 less. I tell her no. Final call - the kid says they're gonna take the car. Come get the cash the next day. I have my best friends drive in front with the new car, I drive the old one. We're 5min away, I call the mom. "Oh. I was trying to call you. Don't come anymore. My husband came back from Haiti and said never mind."

{{Click}}

I had to hang up on the lady. Every bone in my body wanted to drive over to their house and throw my lug wrench through their window. I called my friends and told em let's go home...

Two days later, after crying and praying - cuz at this stage I'm broke - I get four people who come and look at the car. Three never called back. The last couple brought their mechanic - who took a spin around the block. Came back - said the car was perfect. Got my asking price - in cash - on the table.

{{Lesson Learned}}

This fast has brought me to a few conclusions, and I'm only in my second week. I am entirely too trusting of the human species. I will never stop caring for people, never stop trying to help the next man - no matter if I know them or not. One thing I will no longer do, though - is let my kindness lose me money. Never again. I let this kid draw me into his life. He'd call Lou or call me and tell us all his little sob stories. He lost his job. He crashed his mother's car. His father went to Haiti to get them some money. How did this all become my issue? How did I become his friend? It wasn't. I wasn't. I care hard. I care too much. I imagine scenarios in other people's lives, and I feel bad for them before they even happen. That's a detriment to my life. There's nothing wrong with being a good Samaritan - but there's something gravely wrong wit bein a sucka. And I can't lie, he got me good. I can laugh about it now - but that shit had me stressin hard.

One thing I can say, though - is that God blesses those who do good deeds. I got the money I was asking for in the first place, not the deal that was ripping me off. I attribute that to the fact that I wasted so much time on that kid and his family. God saw that, and decided that I should get what I deserved. And I did. Who knows what that kid and his family are dealing with right now? I said a quick prayer for them - and expelled them from my life. I don't even have his number saved anymore - and in another week or two's time - I'll have forgotten his name.

After I reach the 30 day mark in this fast, I expect to have reached some crazy spiritual and emotional highs. When you sacrifice things that you think you need in you life - you realize that God offers alternatives for you. It may not be the easiest thing, but it's possible. I had to go without money for almost a month. I made it work. I didn't even overdraft - who knows how that was possible. Blessings. Simply put.

I'll tell you this, though - people are gonna have to find another way to get blessings from me - cuz money ain't gonna be it.