Assault by Battery

So there I was a few nights ago, turning the key and getting a brief reluctant whine like my cat after a nudge that woke him up, followed by a loud clacking. My battery that I'd gotten at Wally World just summer last year was now officially dead and incapable of holding a charge. By now, the battery acid was so watered down you could drink it and it was high time for a change. In a little over 12 hours, I had a job interview across town and I had no choice but to bite the bullet.

After a neighbor jumped me the following morning, I drove straight to a service station I'd worked at for eight years and asked them to change out the battery. I got a 650 CCA NAPA Gold battery that fit under the hood but that plus labor cost us $145 at the worst possible time. Between bills, modest Xmas shopping and postage, that means it's automatically cutting into our bill money for after Christmas (Fortunately, I made the job interview and hopefully should hear some good news by early this week). Plus, I have to send Mrs. JP to Florida the week after Christmas so she can be with family ($233 round trip air fare right there).

If you can help us out a little during this holiday season, we'd surely appreciate it. Regardless of whatever you can kick in, ask and I'll even throw in by file attachment one or both of my novels, the Mike Flannigan-penned tragi-comedy American Zen and my hostage negotiation thriller The Toy Cop.