This morning, I called the local mechanic that had been recommended to me and told him about my car troubles. He suggested I have it towed into their shop so they could take a look, and suggested a local towing service. I called the towtruck, and within a couple hours, Tobias had been removed from his resting place.

10 minutes ago, the diagnosis came in: It was nothing but a dead battery. A very, very dead battery. Watch as I heave out a great sigh of relief.

He went on to say that my battery was so dead that it wouldn't even take a charge. At first, they wondered if maybe my battery charger had gone bad.

In order to properly diagnose the issue, they removed my battery and plugged in a spare battery. After a bunch of sputters, the car finally started.

Then he went on to ask. "My electrical guy was wondering. Did this car sit for a long time without being used at all?"

I confirmed this hypothesis.

"G" (the old man at my gas station work) had said, "Boy, are they ever good. Do take your car to them! They charge half as much as most of the other places, and they're ten times as sharp." He was right.

So now I'll pass this info on, in case any readers are curious. If you're ever in Lincoln, and need to get a car fixed, I strongly suggest contacting J J'S AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR at 7301 Amanda Road Suite A. (Just off of 70th, a block or so North of Cornhusker Highway.) They can be reached at (402) 466-8892.

I'm buying a new battery from them, even though the price they quoted for a new one sounded pricier than what I might find if I went to Wal Mart, because they were honest and straightforward, and it's less hassle for me to do it this way.

Now I'm going to jump on my bike and ride up to their shop to pick up Tobias.

Another lesson learned: If one is going to have a car, maybe it is best to drive it around a little every now and then, since the cost of this little exercise exceeds what I would have paid for several tanks of gas.

Or: Poor little Tobias was just feeling very, very neglected. Thinking about it, I realize that he hasn't even gotten to visit Open Harvest at all yet! How sad. This situation will soon be rectified. I'm sorry Tobias. I promise never to leave you alone for that long, ever again.

And now, I'm off!