So heres the deal. I should just be arriving home in KC right about now, hugging my family and petting the dog. I took just over a week off work to go home because next Sunday my Best Friend is getting married and I am to be the Best Man!!! Cool deal, PLUS get to see family and friends! Everyone tells me I should fly. But me? NO. I want to drive, it will be my own solitary vacation. I’ll drive through the Utah Canyons and through the Colorado Rockies. I’ll have 2 days to just be by myself and think and drive. GOD do I love to drive, its so meditative, I love it, I can’t stress that enough.
Early yesterday morning I pack my stuff and head out of Vegas and into Utah. Fucking beautiful country. Amazing. Desolate and unforgiving also come to mind. I see a sign that says “Next 110 miles no services”. Almost exactly halfway into this area and 5 1/2 hours into the drive I pull into a scenic overlook to take in the view. As I pull into a parking spot I hear CLUNK from under the hood. I don’t give it much thought and think that the car was a little hot and died. After substantial cooling, I get in, start up the car, put it in reverse and press the gas. Engine roars, car does not move. Try all gears. Car. Will. Not. Move. FUCK.
Thank God for cell phones. Call emergency highway help, they send a wrecker who toes me to the nearest station that can work on a tranmission. 60 miles away. The best part about this trip was the tow truck driver. He is on the county search and rescue and he literally acts tour guide and points out formations and gives me facts about them and we see wild horses and burros. Quite a nice ride. Then he drops me off in Green River Utah and charges me $180. Well, I had all of $200 in my checking account and $60 in my pocket. Pull out the check card and give it to him, there goes the checking account. Call Mom and Dad, have them fix it they say, “we’ll pay for it”. Thats going to be $2500 and a week to fix. Catch a ride to the bus station, parents need to wire me money. 2 options here now. Take a bus the rest of the way into Kansas City for $300 round trip and pick up the car on the way back. Paying for it with my parents money and also having money from them so that I can live and pay bills since I will have missed a week of work. OR. $65 for a one way ticket back to Vegas and work this week, catch a ride back to Green River later and pay for car with parents money. My parents are comfortable but far from rich, my dads retired and my mom is retiring this year. My mom cried, I cried. We made the choice we could.
Here I am back in Vegas. Haven’t seen most of my family and no friends for over a year and a half.
Worst of all I have to call my childhood friend who is really more of a brother to me and tell him that I am not going to be able to be his Best Man, and with only a weeks notice.
My roommate (for those of you who DONT know, that reads - ex girlfriend) has offered to buy me a plane ticket. I made it CLEAR I could not pay her back and she said she knows and is just offering it. However, I know this woman, she would not ask me to pay it back but when she becomes MAD at me, it WILL come up. Trust me, it will come back to me.
Her aunt just heard about it and called and offered the same. She would not miss it, but I really don’t know her well enough to accept, but she does really like me. However thats a non issue.
I really don’t like this… but i REALLY dont want to do this to my best friend, I would feel horrible not showing up.
I’d take the money. Yeah, you’ll have it hanging over your head between your ex and you, but your best friend is only going to get married once (hopefully). Judging from the sound of what you’ve said so far, you’ll be kicking yourself for the rest of your life if you miss this one. Take the money and go, man.
I just checked Southwest Airlines for rates. If you leave next Saturday and return Monday (other days are probably also available), you can fly round trip for less than $200. Assuming you can stay in KC for free with few expenses, take the roomie up on it.
Even if you have to take out a bank loan for the money, pay her back.
I’d say accept a loan from one of the people who has offered one. Pay the person back in installments, as you can manage it. You won’t like being in debt, but you will eventually get it paid back. It will be worth it. Being in debt for a while is the lesser evil, compared to missing being the best man at your best friend’s wedding.
That’s a tough one, Whammo. I’m a very prideful person and hate to accept what I would consider charity. But there are some things that are more important than your pride. This is your best friend. He’s getting married. That’s HUGE. You should do whatever you can to be there for him.
I’d take the money, and from what you said, I would borrow the money from the aunt, sounds like there would be a little less baggage involved. But I would also recommend doing whatever you can to pay her back, even if you can only pay $10 per pay period, you’ll be making the effort so it won’t be something you’ll have hanging over you (forever).
Whammy, pal, trust me - make the trip. As DMC has pointed out, it can be done fairly cheaply, and sources of the immediately needed cash are available (and I’m aware of the caveats).
And you’ll kick yourself for missing it. Your family and friends are important to you.
I’ll go along with everyone and say take the money. If possible, go through the aunt and make repayment arrangements. If not, go with the ex–more baggage but there’s already so much, would you even notice?
I’d take the money. Not a good thing to have hanging over your head, but this IS your best friend, and this IS his wedding. I think you pretty much have to get there, however you can.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do! (I trust you’ll let us know?)
Why not take the aunt up on her offer? I know if I made the offer to my niece or nephews, I would mean it. Our standard joke is that every big favor I do now goes toward getting to stay with one of them while I recuperate from my broken hip when I am 80.
You said she can afford it. Borrow the money, pay it back in installments. The potential emotional grief from the ex seems like a riskier deal.
Oh, and sorry to hear this, Whammo. Bad luck, man.
