The Day My Car Died

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".