I was driving back from Greenville last monday after spending Easter with my family.  Anyways, I noticed the A\C went out and I thought that sucks, but I was close to home.  Well, then my a\c comes back on and the check engine light comes on.  I ignored it thinking I was almost home.  (FYI, don't ever ignore that!)  Then I noticed my car was slowing down.  It didn't seem to have a lot of power.  I looked in my rearview mirror and saw smoke.  I decided to get off at the next exit and go to the gas station.  I pulled off at 177 on I-26.  I got to the top of the ramp and stopped and my car went dead.  It wouldn't start.  I tried calling my dad, no answer.  I tried calling the house, no answer.  I called my friend Michelle and she got her brother to come and get me.  I called my dad again and this time he answered.  I told him what was going on.  Then I called AAA to get a tow truck.  In the meantime, several people stopped, but I told them I didn't need help.  AAA towed my car to the Car Care Center for free and Peco, Michelle's brother, gave me a ride home.  Well, the next day, the Car Care Center calls and tells me I need a new engine.  It's going to cost me $5,000!  My car is worth $2,000 or less.  So, now I'm getting a new car and I sold my civic to a friend who wants to try and fix it.  I know it's weird, but I kind of feel a sense of loss.  That car was my first car.  I had it for the past 8 years almost to the day.  I've had so many adventures in it.  The song that keeps running through my head is American Pie.  I guess the line in it that makes me think about it is, "drove my chevy to the levy but the levy was dry".