$121.80 and 7 hours later

Just when I think life is oh so normal and that everyone else is having all the fun... my husband and I decided to go on a date (sort of if you ignore the baby in the stroller) to see Body Works 3 on display in Portland. We scheduled a babysitter, who kindly drove herself to our house, and left for the adventure about 9:15 Saturday morning.
We spent our first $0.75 putting air in the tires of our taurus. It was an uneventful ride over to Portland, though we discovered on the freeway that neither of us really knew how to get to OMSI. We found signs along the way and arrived prepared to view all the dissected bodies and organs. As we attempted to pull into the parking space, our car stopped part way into the space. Logan made several unfruitful attempts to start the car so we could get all the way into the parking space. Finally, we simply put it in neutral and pushed it back and forth and finally parked. Now, the car had trouble last winter, but has been fine all summer long...
So, we pay our exorbitant fee of $21 each to enter the exhibit. (for those lacking math skill, we are up to $42.75) We actually had to wait 45 minutes before we could enter the exhibit, but then spent about 2 hours viewing. A german scienticist has mastered the technique of plastination, which he has performed on several cadavers (donated by the people themselves while still living) and now displays for educational purposes. It was a little creepy at first, but really interesting and rather enlightening at times.
But, let's get back to the real story. We decided we better hurry and finish looking at the exhibit so we could get home and let the babysitter leave. I'm sure you can all guess that despite our hopes for some great miracle, the car had not healed itself and still would not start. A guy parked next to us offered to give us a jump, which did nothing, and then tried his best to think of anything else that would fix the car. We borrowed his cell phone (no, we still don't have one ourselves) and called our semi-related mechanic for ideas. Nothing worked. So, here we are, stuck in Portland. The guy's other half was anxious to leave, so they wished us well and took off. We found another nice looking couple and asked to borrow their cell phone. The guy gave us a rather dubious look, but finally agreed when we explained about the car. Turns out they were visiting from NY, which could explain a lot (no offense to Jacob). The wait time for our insurance company was 4 minutes so we hung up and let them get on their way. We weren't sure if our insurance covered towing on this car and since it's such a junker, we have the lowest coverage which does not include towing.
We spent lots of time comtemplating how we were going to relieve the sitter, get ourselves home, and possibly buy a car.
We had no coins for the pay phone, it charges an extra $0.95 per call if we use our calling card, and yes, again, no cell phone. We did use the calling card method a few times, but no one was home... no parents, no grandparents, no brothers, no neighbors.
Finally, Logan went to exchange some bills for coins in the cafe and ran into two students from the high school where he teaches. Yes, they have cell phones. So, we regrouped to the cafe and started calling everyone again. We finally found someone who could go to the house and get the kids so the sitter could finally go home. (Add $25 for her rather lengthy stay.)
About 3:15pm we finally got a hold of our sister-in-law who sent her husband to retrieve us, arriving home finally about 4:00pm.
Wait, the story can't end yet. I hurried to the store for those Saturday night groceries while Logan called towing companies. Within a few cents, they all wanted $65 for the hook-up and $3.50per towed mile. We were about 10-12 miles from home. Not happy at this point. Several thoughts about stripping identification off the car, filing off the VIN and abandoning, but we do try to be upright citizens. Logan's parents suggest we rent a car trailer from U-Hual and use his dad's truck to retrieve the beast. Turns out that is cheaper.
So, off Logan goes with his dad (about 5:30pm) to try and carry out this plan before 7pm so we don't have to pay so much for keeping the trailer overnight. Logan arrives home looking rather irritated to inform me that they got the trailer (add $54.05 for a grand total of $121.80) and hurried over to Portland, got ready to hook-up the car ........ and, yes, it started right up!
Anyone want to join me in taking a sledgehammer to it!! And no, U-Haul was "unable" to give us a credit of any kind even if we didn't use the trailer in the end. I'm still mad at that car and I'm still trying to convince Logan we should get a cell phone.