DexCool Bad

or, How Procrastination Bit Me in the Ass Again.
I took the Malibu to Union City Getty today to get the oil changed. Had everything packed up, hot coffee in one thermos and cold water in another, my atlas on the passenger seat and my ipod charging away. I deposited some graduation checks, cashed some others, and was ready to go.
But the 'bu had other plans. Lou the mechanic told me she's leaking oil and antifreeze. He even shined a flashlight in the engine to prove it. Little puddles of green and red shone back. I swore.
Lou explained. DexCool, the favorite long-life coolant of General Motors, apparently turns to acid after a few years. Gasket-eating acid.
Fantastic.
So Lou is dismantling my engine, replacing the gaskets and an O-ring and re-sealing the V of the engine. Then he's going to flush out the DexCool and replace it with normal green coolant. Sweet, normal, non-cannibalistic green coolant.
And it's going to take until tomorrow morning, so the road trip is postponed. Which is my fault, for waiting until today to get my oil changed. But you know, technically, I was planning to leave Tuesday. I only changed my plans when my first hostess, down in State College, Penn., told me she's having a party tonight. Ah well.
It's also going to take about $625, after Lou knocked off 10 percent and the cost of the oil change. Lucky for me Mama Slaj feels guilty and knows that's about a third of my road trip budget/all the money I have to my name, so she'll pick up the tab.
It's disappointing, but I'd rather be stuck in Beacon Falls for an extra day than broken down in a ditch in Nebraska. Because that's how horror movies start.