My father started working on the car at 7am that morning. I was still awake for it. He hitched a come-along to the phone pole and pulled out the front end enough to free the tire. The car had been pushed back almost 8 feet by the accident. With the wheels turning in park. Sounds really bad, doesn't it. We're not sure how bad but it started after Dad pulled the front end out enough to free the twisted fan blade. It doesn't even sound too bad. Dad drove it once around the block before he put it in the driveway for some major repairs.

My father is a very handy fellow, and he managed to straighten out the car almost to the point where it looked driveable. Some of the metal was so twisted he simply cut it off the car with a saw. He hitched the front end tight to the I-bolt in the back of the garage floor and pulled out some more. When it stopped moving freely like that he pulled out a blowtorch and heated the metal until it pulled like taffy. It smelled awful.

Long story short, my dad thinks the car can be saved a few more months. But it has to be checked out by professionals to see if the frame is twisted. And he had to get "creative" with places to mount the headlights. My father is rather ingenious too. Brian's comment? "Looks like it's time for a 2-by-4 bumper." My dad is considering it.

I may get to have Squirt upstate afterall. But I'm going back upstate with Brian for now. They'll have The Tank checked out during the week. If all goes well, they'll bring Squirt up on Friday when they come to visit me for my birthday (Which is next Saturday, by the way...). Cross your fingers for me.

No word from the cops yet. Brian and I went by the guy's house again...the car is there. I think they should boot the car so the guy can't take it anywhere and claim it stolen. But who am I to advise a cop? I gotta go to bed...I've been awake forever.