Chad's Luck

In Chad's family, there is a joke. Anytime anything crazy happens to Chad, he comes out "smelling like a rose..." For example, if he mentioned one day that he sure would like some extra cash to buy something, a check miraculously appears in the mail. (True story) He gets pulled over for speeding, he happens to have gone to school with the police officer. (True story) He participates in a family fishing tournament, and wins - with 4 fish that weigh only 5 pounds. (Also true story) As his wife, I am usually a beneficiary of his good luck. However, last night, I began to question Chad's good luck.

Chad has had "the Fever." You know. The new car kind. He, unlike me, does not tend to burn through cars. Well, not as bad as me. But, he has had it in his head he wants a truck. Like now. And since I just got the Mercedes Minivan... well, he was due a truck.

I should have known Tuesday night when I got home from a meeting at school that things were getting ready to happen. At 8:30 at night, Chad was vacuuming and armor-all-ing the Beast. He touch-up painted, waxed, and in general, cleaned that Nissan Armada like it hadn't been cleaned in the 5 years we have had it. He had had it appraised at a dealer and was not satisfied with the trade-in allowance. I supposed that he was going to take pictures and list it online. But... it rained. No pictures that day. I didn't think much about it until yesterday.

I had plans to go to a friends house for dinner. Around 4 o'clock, I got a call from Chad.

"Do you know where the title is to the Beast?"
"Uh... yeah."
"Where is it?"
"Why?.... It's in the office." (not in the safety deposit box where it should be...)
"Well, I might need it."

The only reason you need a title is if you are SELLING something. Right? Apparently Chad had listed the Armada on Craigs List at lunch and had already received a call. At this point I laughed it off. Whatever. No one actually sells a car in like 4 hours.

I pulled the title out of the folder that has been waiting for return to the safety deposit box and got ready to go to dinner. Chad comes home and has that look, the look that says "I got one!" I shake my head and leave.

While at dinner, my phone rings. Chad mobile. Crap. What does he want?
"Hello?"
"How's dinner?"
"We haven't started eating yet."
"Oh. I'm going to North Houston to meet that guy."
"Really?"
"He wants to look at the truck."
"Hmmm. Okay."
"If this deal goes down, can you come get me?"
"Sure." Like that's really going to happen.

While I am eating risotto and roasted chicken, phone rings again. Chad mobile.
"Helllll-ooooo????"
"Can you come get me? They bought it."
"Where are you?"
"At a McDonalds on 45." The location is in the HOOD! Not taking the baby there. I asked my hostess if I could leave Kenzie while I retrieved my carless husband.

I drive over to the McDonalds and see Chad sitting on a curb next to the Armada with a stack of crap next him including 2 carseats. I parked and Chad transferred 5 years of tool accumulation and miscellaneous items into my car. And I am standing there in disbelief as a Hispanic family drives away in our Nissan Armada, the car we lovingly have referred to as "the Beast" for the last 5 years.

Chad seems to be in a hurry. And then it dawns on me. The only reason he would have sold it was if there were "Benjamin Franklins" involved. Yes. We are standing in the parking lot of an inner city McDonalds and he has $11,000 cash in his pocket.

We get in the car. And even Chad's eyes are a little big. He pulls a pistol from his pocket and puts it in the glovebox. I don't even have to ask. "You really didn't think I was going to meet some unknown guy and carry out a cash transaction without a gun, did you?" Well, no, of course not.

And then he pulled out the cash. Neither one of us has ever held that much cash at once. Chad had to count it, again. I asked him, "How did this happen?" Chad said they needed a car, like today. (I have been there - like, 2 weeks ago.) The guy drove the car. Asked lots of questions that Chad swears he answered truthfully. They negotiated. Chad went down $100 from full Kelly Blue Book retail. He said the $100 was worth being able to tell this story a few times. The guy handed him the money in $600 increments. (That one I don't get) Chad looked at the bills to make sure they were authentic and then he completed the title and handed it over. In the McDonalds parking lot.

Okay. So the Beast is gone. What are we going to do now? I have lunch plans tomorrow. And I am not going to be without a car... We can't survive as a family with only one car.

"Chad - what are we going to do now?"
"I don't know. I guess I won't be going to work tomorrow."
You got that right. You'll have to call in "I don't have a car."


Seriously? Now WE (I have to be involved since he can't drive himself since he sold his car) have to go buy a truck, TODAY. What a way to start the weekend.

And this is how Chad's luck affects me. Who do you know that can list a car on Craigs List and SELL it the same day? Who carries out a car sale like a drug deal in a McDonalds parking lot?

My husband.