#5) he decided to steal his dads name cuz he thought he could do better

[sallytwo]

jonthan (bisseibar) (parousia) has always been a trans guy except i failed to consider the fact he’s named after his dead father. every single possible answer to this dilemma is increasingly hilarious and i refuse to elaborate on what the real backstory is. you get to decide.

[forgettinggirlinterrpted]

5/8 - 5/13/19

It’s so easy sometimes to forget why I’m here. That’s my problem- I forget things. I forget my keys, I forget to turn my car off when I get gas, once I even forgot I biked somewhere and ended up walking home.

But worse than that, I forget emotions. I forget how miserable not having AC in my car makes me until late April rolls around, I forget when I’m mad at someone, I forget how happy I felt during some of the most important moments in my life. Most importantly- I forget when I’m sad.

I have brief moments that pop up in a sea of darkness that allow me, for just a moment, to laugh and feel like a real person. These moments happen a lot. I can see light and laughter during a panic attack before the flip switches and my brain turns back into a train running off static electricity and black mold. The fog clears for just a brief stop on the tracks and the mold crawls back to its host.

But same as the the fog clears, eventually so does my forgetfulness. My ability to forget is just as weak as it is powerful. Slowly but surely those mold covered trains start moving again with no clear destination. The black creeps in as I sit in the real world, hunched over, grasping onto my surroundings- yet failing to grasp onto any sort of consistent breathing pattern. I can forget sadness, but I can just as quickly forget happiness.

So here I am, in the day room of a psychiatric hospital, surrounded by people just like me. We have become our own ragtag group of misguided grownups. When I arrived here 7 days ago almost a year after my last admission to this hospital, I felt the trains moving at full speed through a pile of sludge. I stared at the painting on the wall and began to fear that here, I may not be able to utilize my warped superpower: my ability to forget.

But slowly, the other patients and I have begun to forget together- somehow forgetting without truly forgetting. Together, we can laugh not through the pain, but alongside it. This is the place where I don't have to feel bad for my moments of forgetfulness. Moments of comic relief and simple enjoyment. I don’t need to feel like my laughter negates my 10-year-old depression diagnosis.

Here, we are embracing those moments. We embrace the moments of happiness and sadness- in whichever order they decide to arrive. In a room full of people so different it looks like the set-up to a bad joke, we can forget in a place that is simultaneously forcing us to remember.

When I got here, my doctors told me to embrace the community. “If you don’t want to talk about your anxiety and depression, then just listen.” So I listened. And then I started talking.

One night, we all gathered in the day room, attempting to avoid the loneliness of our windowless rooms. As a Die Hard sequel blasted in the background, the addicts in the room discussed their journey through meth addiction. I asked questions. They answered. We all laughed. A heroin addict around my age told me, “seriously, don’t touch meth.”

The man next to me, Nate, said through the bustle of conversation and laughter, “are you here cuz of a drug?” I said no, and in his thick, mumbled, country accent he asked me, “then why you here?” 

I told him that I’m sad. 

He sighed, looked down at his folded hands and said, “yeah, I’m sad too.”

Nate loves movies and reading, M&M cookies, and meth. Up until he injected 3 grams of “ice” in a suicide attempt, he has been living on the streets. I halfway listened to the ongoing conversation about how incredible and horrifying hard drugs can be as he told me about a time he was arrested after ending up inside a university dorm building thinking he lived there. We all took a brief break to laugh even more when another patient, also coming from a recent suicide attempt, tried to enter the conversation by saying he had only ever “done weed once.”

Later, in his mumbled speech, Nate told the group about when he was high and stood in the middle of park downtown for 4 hours with a knife in his hand. We asked him what the hell he was doing just standing there. 

He simply replied, “lookin’.” 

I think we were unable, or even unwilling to truly focus on the scary reality behind Nate standing in a public park, knife in hand, waiting for cops that neither we, or even Nate, knew for certain were even coming. 

So we just kept laughing.

As the night and following day before his release passed, I kept talking to Nate. I shared my extra cookies with him, and forced him to come paint in recreational therapy with me. But I couldn’t stop thinking about how genuinely scared I would be if Nate tried to open my dorm room door in the middle of the night. Or if I saw him middle aged, 6’2”, with a bald head, tear drop tattoo, and the psychique of a retired bouncer, standing in park, knife in hand, having the time of his life.

I asked him if it scared him to be out of control like that. He said that was his favorite part; he didn’t mind losing control. Between him telling me about his attempt to end his life and the meth fueled antics that cost him both his new job in Florida and his boss’ iPad, I realized Nate was funny, knowledgeable, and vaguely socially aware.

During one of our conversations, we found ourselves trapped in a seminar about nutrition. He slapped his hands on his thighs and said, “well, time to go.” I whined and asked him to stay. My insistence on attending every activity offered was at odds with Nate’s style. A style that told me that maybe once he did have my naive enthusiasm towards recovery, but lost it somewhere along the way. He said “you want me to stay?” and plopped back into his chair. He knew I wanted him to be there, just as I had begged him earlier to attend a journaling group session- declining my invitation with a non-committal hand gesture and a “nah.”

We sat through the nutritionist explaining “My Plate,” an updated version of the food pyramid. Nate leaned sideways and quietly grumbled, “is that like MySpace,” and I chuckled quietly in a way that reminded me of my habit of exchanging bad jokes in attempts to survive a boring lecture. When the nutritionist asked what could be used as a meat substitute for protein, Nate shouted out every type of bean he could think of. She asked if anybody had eaten eggplant and he shouted, “oh hell yeah, I had an eggplant lasagna once and that shit was delicious.” His southern drawl made everything he said more melodic, and added a level of enthusiasm he often didn’t like to show- unless he is shouting expletives about his incredible experience with eggplant lasagna.

After I had completely tuned out the nutritionist and began to draw in my notebook, Nate leaned over and asked if we could be friends on Facebook. I sneakily handed him paper for him to write his name down. As he wrote, he told me he may not be able to respond for about 30 days.

It happened again. I had forgotten.

I had spent that day arguing with Nate about whether the book or movie version of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is better. This was an especially unwinnable argument given that I had never seen the movie and only gotten 100 pages into the book, and Nate had only ever seen the movie. 

He had given me movie suggestions, quoted Carrie, and given me shit for thinking a Pink Floyd song playing on the radio was by the B-52’s. 

He ranted about the symbolism behind the music video for Another Brick in the Wall as he painted a birdhouse that he could have easily crushed by closing his fist.

So I forgot. I forgot when he interrupted my conversation with a social worker to mime towards my extra cookie I had leftover from snack time. He had already eaten the first one when I offered, and originally declined the second. 

I was happy he asked for this one though, since I had only asked for the extra cookies so I could give them to him. 

But he didn’t know that.

His casual mention of the 30 days made me chuckle, but also made me remember. Remember where I was, why I was here, and who I was talking to.

I remember that when we first met, Nate told me his father had been in this same hospital almost 23 years ago. He also told me he killed himself right after being discharged. He tried to tell me it didn’t bother him, but shrugged and mumbled, “I mean it prolly does but I don’t know.” I want to say he said it casually, but that wasn’t it. He wasn’t laughing, but he wasn’t crying either. Mainly, he seemed defeated. Tired, like this was just the beginning of a long list of bullshit he has tried to deal with in his own way.

He looked at me, but never fully turned his body. 

He told me the only thing he truly remembers about the day his dad died. 

During checkout, his dad checked a box on his discharge forms stating yes, he did think his time there had helped him. But his father made it clear to Nate that he didn’t think it helped his depression. When he asked his dad why he lied to the doctors, Nate’s father told him, “I just want to go home.”

This all flashes back, and I remember that despite a potential Facebook friendship, this was the last time I would see him. Mainly, I was forced to remember that I have no control over his sobriety- and that 2 days of talking and painting with a depressed 24-year-old is not going to keep him from running back to the life he is used to the moment things get difficult in his new facility.

I began to think about my plan of action if I see Nate in 30 days, 3 months, or 3 years from now, standing downtown waiting for a dealer, or embarking on one of the never-ending walks he takes to kill time when the meth steals his ability to sleep.

Would I stop for him? Am I prepared to know fully and truthfully that this attempt at sobriety had failed? That the system had failed? Am I ready to accept the fact that I live in a world where kind, smart, and funny people just aren’t given the chance at life they deserve?

I asked him why he thought this shot at sobriety would work, and he said, “I’m just tired man, this ain’t no life.” So again, I remember. I remember why he is here in the first place- Nate had tried to kill himself. What happens if this doesn’t all go according to plan? What’s next?

His favorite part of the drug he wants to quit is the lack of control, and his drug-fueled delusions grant him his own ability to forget. Nate wasn’t ashamed to tell me his stories, but made it clear he wasn’t particularly proud of them either- with an ambivalence that is both inspiring and troubling. 

I fear the thought of everything he hadn’t had time to tell me about. I worry about what will happen when he begins to allow himself to remember.

During our first conversation, I told Nate I was afraid to leave the hospital because I thought the real world was scary. Without fully looking at me Nate shrugged and said, “it’s only as scary as you let it be.” 

Before he checked out, I gave Nate my copy of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest to read in rehab. 

Maybe one day we can finally finish our debate on the merits of each version of the story. 

Selfishly, I mostly did this so Nate would remember me. But even if he throws the book away, I just hope he remembers to take his own advice. The world really is only as scary as we let it be.

In our groups sessions this past week, we have talked a lot about forgiveness and second chances. For the past 6 months, I have struggled to handle my anxiety and depression, making my constant battle between forgetting and remembering unbearable.

I’ve learned I need to give myself a second chance, and allow myself to to let go of the things that fuel the trains in my head.

Nate and I are both giving ourselves our own second chances- ones that might end up with us both back in this hospital. Ones that will be scary. 

Whether or not we crash and burn, these are second chances I think we both truly deserve.

The trains in my head will never fully stop, and that’s ok. I feel ready to go home. I feel ready to attempt to live in a world without fear.

And, for the sake of Nate and every single way our short friendship changed me- I just want to allow myself to forget, but always remember to remember.

[calliopesquill]

A Year in the Life: Chapter 5

Guess what! I decided to post before midnight tonight lol 

You all are seriously amazing, you know that? The responses I have been getting for these last chapters have been incredible and I can't thank you enough.

Special thanks to all of you who left me such wonderful comments. It really makes my day every time I get one and there are a few these last couple weeks that almost made me cry. So really, thank you. 

With that said, on to chapter 5!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 5: La Familia Rivera

         Nell needed to start setting alarms when she worked. She’d gotten so buried in her novel planning and concept sketches that it was three in the afternoon before she finally surfaced, and that only happened because her stomach had let out a growl loud enough to wake the dead. She pushed herself away from the table with a groan, letting out a muttered curse as she stretched, her back protesting at the hunched position she’d been in for the last three hours. It was definitely time for a break.

         She shuffled across the kitchen to her fridge, only to find it almost totally empty. Right… I was supposed to go grocery shopping this morning.

         She sighed, shutting the fridge again. Better to do that now, and maybe grab an early supper on the way. She was too hungry to cook. But first she should probably get dressed. Her style may be casual, but it definitely wasn’t “leave the house in pajamas” casual. Nell traded her pajamas for a pair of comfortable flower-printed shorts and a white tee shirt, twisting her hair up in a messy bun as she stepped into her pink ballet flats. After a quick double-check that both her keys and wallet were still in her purse, she was out the door.

         As she walked, she went over what she’d come up with for her new novel so far. It would be narrated by the guitar itself, a twist that she would not be revealing until near the end. She didn’t have much for her protagonist yet, but was toying with the idea of him stealing the guitar for himself at first, so the story could be something of a redemption arc for him as well. There would be no familial connection between the hero and the guitar’s original owner, however. She wanted to tell her own story, not just re-tell something that had already happened.

         She was contemplating the design of her main character when she was nearly knocked off her feet by a small, bony form. The dog continued on past her to dance around the feet of an old woman in a blue button-down dress.

         “ ¡Oye! ” The woman protested, shifting the grocery bags she carried to one arm so she could shoo the dog away. “ ¡Abajo! Abajo, perro tonto. ¡No saltar! ”

         The dog, completely ignoring her commands to get down, jumped at her again, knocking her bags from her hands in its attempts to smother her with affection. It only backed away when it saw her reaching for the sandal on her foot, electing instead to plop down next to her and begin chewing on its own leg.

         Muttering to herself, the woman began to pick up her spilled groceries, letting out a muttered oath when she saw the strap on one of the bags had snapped. She looked up when she saw a second set of hands gathering up the spilled fruit and reached for her sandal again, prepared to fight off any tonto stupid enough to try to steal from her. But instead of running off they pulled a folded-up cloth bag from inside their purse and began putting the spilled food inside to make it easier to carry.

         Nell stood, brushing off the road dust, and offered the woman a hand to help her up. “ ¿Estás bien? ” She asked, picking up the bag of groceries she’d helped pick up.

         “ Si, gracias ,” the woman answered, then shot a fond but vaguely frustrated look towards the dog that still sat at their feet. “No thanks to you, silly dog.”

         “Is he yours?”

         “He thinks he is,” the woman shrugged. “He comes to the house sometimes, looking for food. He is very fond of my grandson.” Now that she could actually get a good look at the person who had helped her, she recognized the young woman who often sat in the plaza. “You are one of Coro’s tenants, si? The artist.”

         “My name’s Nell,” she said with a smile. “It’s nice to meet you. Did you want some help getting these back home?”

         “Ah, I will be fine,” the woman said, waving her off. “As long as someone --” Here she shot another look at the dog, who gave her a harmless doggy smile. “--does not jump on me again.”

         “Aw, you won’t jump again, will you?” Nell asked the dog, giving him a scratch behind the ears. The dog gave a small huff, leaning into her hand as his skinny tail beat a tattoo against the ground. “Cuz you are a good boy.”

         The dog barked the affirmative.

         “You are a nice girl,” the woman decided. “My grandson, he says very good things about you.”

         “Your grandson?”

         “ Si. My Miguelito. He talks to you sometimes when you draw at the plaza.”

         “Oh, you’re Miguel’s abuelita !” Now it all made sense. “It’s a pleasure to meet you at last. And that must mean that this handsome boy here is Dante.”

         Elena snorted. ‘Handsome’ was not exactly the word that she would have chosen. What he was was dumb as a bag of rocks, but he was sweet-natured and very dedicated to her grandson, and the rest of the family by extension, so she’d developed a soft spot for the silly thing. “You are very good with dogs,”  she noted, seeing Dante roll over so Nell could scratch his belly.

         “I always wanted one growing up,” Nell confessed as she gave in to his desire for pets. “But my dad was allergic to the hair. Couldn’t handle cats either, so I never had a chance to have a pet growing up. And then after I moved out on my own I couldn’t really afford one so… “ She shrugged.

         “This one seems to like you,” Elena said with a small nod. “He is very foolish, but he knows good people. You will come for dinner.”

         “Thank you. I -- wait, what? Oh, no, you don’t have to. That’s very generous but --”

         But Elena overrode her protests. “Nonsense. You will come tonight and meet the family.”

         “I --- okay.” What else could she say? “Is there anything you’d like me to bring? I could make dessert.”

         “No, no. I have all that I need. You will come tonight for six and we will have a nice dinner.”

         “Ah… Okay. Thank you.”

         Despite protests, Nell insisted on escorting her home anyway, telling her to keep the cloth bag that the extra groceries had been carried in as Elena’s other one was broken. The moment the door had closed Nell dashed off down the street to the grocery store.

         She ended up making chocolate chip cookies, though she’d had to borrow a pair of baking trays and a serving platter from Tia Caro. She had been told not to bring anything but she had been strictly mother-trained not to arrive empty-handed when it came to dinner invitations. As the cookies cooled, Nell traded her shorts and tee-shirt for a casual emerald green maxi dress topped with a candy pink knit bolero sweater. Mindful that she was visiting a family of shoemakers, she paired her outfit with a pretty pair of black and gold strappy sandals. Her hair she tied back in a low, looped ponytail that would keep the curls out of her face, but would not give her a headache as the night went on.

         She walked carefully towards the Rivera home, praying that she wouldn’t trip and spill all of the cookies before she got there. It might have been early October but to Nell it still felt like mid-summer. The leaves would have just started to change color back home and the neighborhood kids would all be in a tizzy picking their Halloween costumes. She smiled fondly at the thought. Halloween had always been her favorite holiday, though more for the costumes and the candy than the spook-factor. Funny enough, Nell could not handle horror movies or haunted houses at all. Her friends had tricked her into watching A Haunting in Connecticut one night and she barely slept for a week.

         She’d be missing Halloween this year, but would be trading it out for her first experience with Dia de los Muertos. Already people had begun decorating, draping colorful cut-paper banners between the buildings. There were areas of Santa Cecilia where the little flags were always present, but there were always more come fall. It was a little early for people to be putting out the elaborate calaveras figures that were also used to decorate, but Nell did spot one or two between her place and the Rivera’s.

         Thankfully she made it to the house without incident and knocked on the front door at promptly five minutes to six.

         The woman who answered the door was just shorter than she was, dressed in a cheerful yellow blouse and a bright pink skirt. Her hair was dark and straight, tied back in a low, loose braid. She had a youthful face, with smile lines just appearing around her eyes  -- some of which, Nell guessed, could be attributed to the toddler at her hip.

         She smiled when she saw her. “Ah, you must be Nell. Mama told us you would be joining us for dinner. Please, come in.” She nudged the door open with her foot, stepping back so Nell could follow her into the courtyard.

         “ Gracias, Señora Rivera. ”

         “Please, call me Luisa,” the woman insisted, resettling her daughter on her hip as she closed the gate. “And this one here is my youngest, Soccoro. Miguel has told us so much about you. He says you are an artist.”

         Nell nodded. “Yes ma’am.”

         “Miguel really likes your books. He wanted to bring them home from the library so he could show his prima Rosa but they did not have them, so he has been showing her on the computer during their lunch hour. She really likes your heroine.”

         “I’m glad they’re enjoying it so far,” Nell smiled. “I had a lot of fun writing it.”

         “It shows. Ah, but you must be tired of carrying that tray. Come, I will show you to the kitchen. Mama should be just about done with dinner.”

         “She told me not to bring anything but I wanted to contribute somehow,” Nell admitted, following Luisa through the courtyard. “I’m better with desserts than actual meals, so I figured chocolate chip cookies would be a good option.”

         Luisa chuckled. “We will have to hide those from Miguel until after dinner. And this one too,” she added as little Soccoro reached for the tray.

         No sooner had she said that than Miguel burst from his room, still dressed in the white button-down shirt and navy pants of his school uniform. “Mama I’m done my -- hey! Nell! What are you doing here?”

         “ Ay! Manners mijo.  Your abuelita met your friend this afternoon and invited her over for dinner.”

         Miguel cocked his head curiously. “How did you meet abuelita?

         “A certain affectionate xolo decided that the best time to give her kisses was when she was carrying groceries,” Nell told him. “I just happened to be nearby and helped her pick them up.”

         He laughed. “Dante is still working on his timing. Are those cookies for us?”

         “After dinner, mijo ,” Luisa told him. “Your abuelita should be almost ready, so why don’t you get out of your school clothes and you can help set the table.”

         “Okay Mama.”

         Abuelita Elena was the undisputed head of the Rivera family. She was a life-long shoemaker but it was in the kitchen where she truly reigned supreme. Everything was timed to the minute on an internal clock born of practice and instinct. Nell, who could not put a perfectly-timed meal on the table if her life depended on it, wanted to applaud. Elena seemed to know everything that was going on in her kitchen at all times and even though her back was turned, she was instantly aware of other people entering her domain.

         “Ah, Luisa! You are just in time,” she said, not even turning around as she plated up a tray of ribs in a spicy-smelling sauce. “And you have brought Penelope with you. Good. I like it when people are on time.”

         “I’m obsessively prompt,” Nell smiled. “And please, call me Nell. I brought some dessert for later. Is there somewhere I can put it where little cookie-monsters won’t be able to help themselves before dinner?”

         Elena gave a short snort of laughter. “Anyone in my house knows there will be no desserts until after their dinner. For now you can put them on top of the fridge.”

         Not for the first time Nell was grateful for her height, as she barely had to stand on tiptoe to set the tray atop the fridge. As with many homes it was a local showcase of family achievements; well-graded assignments and art projects from the varying Rivera cousins covered the door, fixed with colorful magnets. As she turned away she could see Elena glancing at her sandals out of the corner of her eye.

         “Your shoes. They are pretty, but they were not made for you. They are too flat. You move like a dancer, but in those things you walk like a duck.”

         Nell let out a snort of laughter. “I was a dancer, from about the age of four. Quit after I finished university because I moved out and couldn’t pay for lessons anymore. Took three years as an adult to train myself out of that turn-out so I could walk with my feet parallel again.” She still caught herself standing in ballet-third when she wasn’t paying attention. “I have a hard time finding sandals a lot of the time because most of them come in four styles: cute but flat as cardboard so zero arch-support at all, cute but with massive heels and can only be worn for like an hour before you want to die, cute but eat your feet and leave raw patches and blisters, and comfortable but really ugly. There is no place for ugly shoes in my wardrobe.”

         Elena nodded in approval of the sentiment. There was no place in the world for ugly shoes at all in her opinion. Cheap shoes were an insult to her craft. No Rivera would be seen wearing cheap, poorly-constructed shoes, and if she had her way then no friend of the Riveras would either. “Come, you take that plate there and help me set the table and we will talk about shoes that you can wear for the rest of your life.”

         “I -- okay.” What else could she do? She didn’t want to come out and say that custom-made shoes were not a luxury that she could afford right now. Most of what she had had gone into this trip, and though her book sales and commissions were keeping her afloat, they didn’t leave much room for luxuries. She took the plate and followed Elena into the chaos that is the dining room.

         Seeing the number of people gathered, Nell stopped short and stared. When Elena invited her to dinner she didn’t think it would be with the whole family. It looked like half of Santa Cecilia had managed to fit itself around the table.

         “Come, come. Put that plate down right here. Si, right next to the tamales. Manny, Benny, stop teasing your prima Rosa and come sit down. Abel, you shuffle down and make room for our guest. Todos, esto es Penelope. Penelope, mi familia.”

         “Ah...hi everyone.” Nell set the plate down and gave a shy wave. “Please, call me Nell.” Should she start wearing a sign? She really felt like she should start wearing a sign. Something simple like ‘ Please do not call me Penelope until I am over the age of 65. Thank you.’

         A seat was left for her between Elena and a woman who introduced herself as Miguel’s Tia Gloria. She then introduced Nell to her twin boys, Benny and Manny, who were a couple of years into elementary school. They weren’t particularly interested in introductions, and were much more focused in which of them could stuff the most food in their mouth at one time.

         Miguel’s father Enrique, a tall man with a dark moustache, passed a platter of food to his wife before turning to Nell. “So, Miguel says you’re an artist.”

         The question was offered casually but Nell had the distinct impression that what she was being asked was actually something very different. “Yes, sir. I write graphic novels -- comic books -- but I take other commissions as well. I’m setting my next series in a place similar to Santa Cecilia so I’m living here for a few months as I work on it because I want to get an authentic feel for the culture and the lifestyle and the architecture. I spend a lot of time doing reference sketches in Mariachi Plaza. It’s got really great atmosphere and that’s something I really wanted to capture. Then that one over there --” She nodded at Miguel. “--got curious one day and decided he wanted to know who the weird turista was who kept writing everything down in a giant notebook.”

         “You should see her sketchbook. It’s really good,” Miguel told them. “She was drawing the bell tower yesterday and it was just with pencils and it was perfect! It looked like one of those old-timey pictures.”

         “We read your comic at lunch sometimes,” added Rosa, who sat a few seats down from her cousin. “We just got to the part where Polaris and Astra start working together.”

         “Have you gotten to the mirror incident yet?” Nell asked.

         Rosa shook her head. “Not yet.”

         “Let me know when you get there. That was one of my favourite chapters in the whole series.”

         The conversation flowed freely throughout dinner, catching up with the goings-on at school. Abel was taking some online CAD courses for the business, and there was some discussion between the other family members on designs and techniques that they were experimenting with. Miguel mentioned briefly how he’d started reading Dante’s Inferno , which had the entire family in stitches when Benny and Manny asked how the little doggy wrote a book. Nell also got a more in-depth history of the business itself.

         “I think it’s really admirable what Imelda did,” Nell said honestly. “Running a business is really difficult, and at the time, being a female entrepreneur would have been that much more challenging. Never mind being a single parent on top of that. So that she created such a successful business that has stayed in the family for so long is really incredible. Add the complication of foreign investment and multinational companies with giant factories, it must be challenging sometimes to stay competitive.”

         “ Si , it is sometimes,” Miguel’s father answered with a shrug. “Much of our business is local. Most people here, they would rather be able to see and feel the thing that they are buying, so that is a benefit to us.”

         “We did get that magazine placement a couple of years ago,” Gloria added. “That telenovela star. What was her name? She mentioned us in an interview and wore a pair of our boots for a photo shoot.”

         “There is always a market for quality custom work,” Elena nodded. “Work that lasts. That is a legacy worth protecting. Would you like some more tamales?”

         Nell leaned back in her chair and shook her head. “No, gracias. They are delicious but I am stuffed.”

         “No, no, there is plenty of room left. You are so skinny! Have another.”

         “You know, I think I’ve heard that from everyone at Tia Caro’s building,” Nell laughed as she accepted one more tamale. “I think she might have decided to adopt me. Ten bucks says she must be half-way through the paperwork by now.”

         Elena gave a nod of approval. “Caro is a good woman. She takes care of her familia. ” It didn’t matter if they were related by blood or simply lived in her building. All were considered family. And that, to Elena was the most important thing.

         How anyone at that table had any room for cookies after that meal, Nell had no idea. But somehow they did, and managed to empty the tray in record time.

         “Have you figured out the plot yet for your new comic?” Miguel asked as he and Rosa started clearing up the dishes.

         “Part of it,” Nell answered. “I was working on some of the background and lore this morning. The story is going to center around a cursed guitar.”

         Miguel paused, setting down the plates that he had been stacking, memories of her inquiries about is own guitar immediately springing to mind. “How did it get cursed?”

         She hesitated for a moment. As much as she really wanted to be able to use this idea for her books, she worried it might hit a little too close for Miguel. She would leave it for him to decide if he was comfortable with her continuing, or if he wanted her to write something different.  So she gave a cursory explanation of the concept of the tsukumogami and how the guitar had developed a spirit of its own. “And what the guitar wants is to finally see justice done for its murdered owner, and to be played again by someone who is worthy.”

         “Cool!” Rosa declared. “Who killed him?”

         “No spoilers,” Nell grinned at her. “But if you guys want I can show you some of the concept art I’ve got later.”

         Miguel hesitated, not entirely sure how he felt about the idea. On the one hand, it was a little weird knowing that part of his family’s history, even a small part, was going to be used in a book. But if there was anyone that he trusted to do it respectfully, it was Nell. He’d caught the look she gave him when she explained her idea and knew that she would not proceed with it without his go-ahead. And aside from that… a graphic novel series about a sentient guitar would be really, really cool.

         He flashed a crooked, one-dimpled smile and nodded. “Can’t wait!”

         When Miguel met with Nell that night, he knew that he was right to trust her. What she had planned did briefly allude to the history of Hector and Ernesto, but not in any way that would be recognizable to anyone but him.

         In her story, the guitar was a family heirloom. The father was a brilliant musician with a poet’s heart. He and his wife had two sons. The eldest son was bold and adventurous and loved music too, though more for the attention that his talent brought him than for the music itself. The younger brother was just like his father, who loved the music for its own sake. And when the father died, it was the younger son that he gave the guitar to. But the older brother was a jealous sort, always seeing himself as second place, even though he was the oldest. He was determined to be liked, and cultivated a fine and charming manner in order to endear himself to those around him, but he could never match the simple sincerity of his younger brother. They were both talented, but when they performed together it was easy to see whose heart was really in the music. They travelled together, performed together, and all that time the older brother’s jealousy festered within him. Until one night, after a particularly bad fight and a few too many drinks, he smothered his brother in his sleep.

         The death was mourned as a tragedy, a sudden failure of the heart in a time where forensic evidence and investigation barely existed. Nobody even considered the possibility of murder.

         The older brother inherited the guitar by default, and did become a fairly well renowned musician on his own. He would never admit that the guitar that had become his trademark never sang as beautifully for him as it did for his father and brother. He performed until his death in 1931, when an earthquake caused the roof of the theater he was rehearsing in to collapse on top of him, burying him alive.

         The guitar was salvaged from the wreckage without a scratch on it and was held in private collections until the mid-1990’s, when it was installed as part of a music history exhibit in a local museum. Stories say that sometimes, late at night, you can still hear the sad melody it plays, mourning its lost musico.

         “You gotta write that,” Miguel insisted after hearing what she’d planned. “What happens next? Is that it?”

         Nell laughed. “Nah, that’s more of the backstory that sets up the main plot. The main character is a paranormal investigator who heard the stories of the ghostly music, so he breaks into the museum at night. Next thing he knows he’s seeing ghosts everywhere, and the guitar quite literally seems to have a mind of its own and won’t leave him be.”

         Miguel snickered. This was going to be fun.

         “For real, though. You’re okay with me writing this? If you’re not comfortable with it, you’ve got to tell me. There’s no time-limit so I have all the time in the world to think up something else.”

         He shook his head. “No, I like it. It’s different. And I like the guitar being the narrator. That’s kinda cool.”

         Nell sighed with relief. “Okay. Okay. Cool. But like, if you ever change your mind, let me know.”

         “I will,” Miguel promised.

         They walked for a while longer, taking in the quiet, their path taking them past the painted gate of the Rivera house. Dante trotted companionably at their side. They’d discovered when they met up that night that the little xolo could indeed see them when they were projecting, and after spending several minutes jumping all over them, he designated himself their official companion for the evening.

         “So what did you and abuelita talk about when you were touring the shop?”

         “Ah, not much. Got a little more on the history of the business. Some of the process. Your abuelita is really determined to get me into a decent pair of shoes.” Nell chuckled.

         Miguel snickered. “Fifty pesos says you’re in a pair if Rivera shoes by Christmas.”

         “You’re on. And I’ll put my winnings towards buying my pretty new Rivera shoes after New Years.”          

         “Hey!” He laughed. “That’s cheating.”

         “You set the rules, not me.” She reminded him. For a moment she was silent, then she spoke again. “Your abuelita is really proud of you, you know. Your whole family is. You can see it in their faces when they hear you play. I’m glad I got to meet them tonight.”

         “They really like you,” Miguel told her. “And Tia Gloria really wants your cookie recipe. Benny and Manny would have eaten all of them if they could have.”

         Nell laughed. “I’m glad I passed inspection. They were definitely a little concerned about me at first, not that I blame them.”

         “What? Why?”

         “Because it’s one thing for their fourteen year old to have adult friends among the local musicians, but it’s a little different when he’s suddenly friends with a random tourist eleven years his senior.”

         She had a point. And it wasn’t like either of them could explain the particular circumstances behind them becoming friends to begin with, not without earning themselves a happy little trip to the hospital in the city for a psych evaluation.

         What Nell didn’t tell him was how worried his family had been for him over the past few months. They’d known he wasn’t sleeping well, but as he refused to tell them what was going on there was nothing they could do. He’d been doing so much better since summer ended. He no longer came to the breakfast table with tired eyes, dragging his feet -- or at least, no more than any other young teenager. A question had been left unspoken of whether he had told Nell about what had been bothering him, to which she’d had to claim complete ignorance.  

         “Side note: I don’t know how the hell you survived that music ban,” Nell confessed, shaking her head. “I’d have completely lost my mind.” Music had always in some way been on the periphery of her life. She couldn’t imagine being cut off from it.

         “I felt like I was some days,” he laughed. “And I was raised into it. Mama had to give it up when she married Papa and I don’t know how she did it.”

         “People will do a lot for love. If it meant being with your Dad, it was probably a sacrifice she was willing to make.”

         Miguel nodded. He’d almost made the same one before Hector and Mama Imelda had sent him back. To be able to return home and have a chance to save Hector, he’d have given up music without a moment’s regret. “Could you do it?”

         “Give up music for someone?” Nell asked. “Don’t know. There’s never been someone that mattered enough that I would consider it. If it was the right person, I think I could. But then if it was the right person, I wouldn’t have to.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And there ends chapter 5! We met the Riveras, Nell finally got her plot sorted out, and we got to see Dante!

Next chapter will be the start of Dia de los Muertos, so buckle up buttercups because it's going to be a wild ride.

[airmidtheawakened]

The Collector, Part 2

Welcome back, all! When we last left off, a supernatural entity had broken into my cabal's home in search of an heirloom watch belonging to Sinopa's friend Isaac. I'd taken the watch and fled the scene, hoping to lure the creature away from my friends. I popped back into existence in Papa Bear's foyer. Both he and Arathnos were waiting for me, dressed in pajamas. It was just past midnight, after all.  Papa Bear didn't seem mad, but he never really emotes much, so I wasn't exactly comforted at all. He said it was okay for me to stay there for the night. Arathnos brought me to a guest room. On the way there he got a phone call from Saki. (I should probably mention that at this point Saki'd decided to join the Silver Ladder and Arathnos, already being a member, had taken over as Saki's mentor.) Saki said he and the others had tried to get to Aces' place, but the car broke down. Arathnos called a cab for them and let them know I was safe. After that I crashed for the night. The next morning was... surreal. I woke up to Arathnos blasting trumpet music from his phone. I mean, it's nice that he came to wake me up, but I couldn't help but feel he was trying to be extra obnoxious with his choice of alarm. But maybe that's just me. He'd brought me some clothes to wear. They were all businessy ad stuff. Pencil skirt, blazer, you know the drill. I asked what the occasion was. He said I had a meeting with Papa Bear. Now Papa Bear may be a stick in the mud, but he doesn't actually care much what I wear, so the insistence on business attire through my off a little. Of course Arathnos wouldn't tell me any more than that I "had a meeting." Because he's super frustrating like that. Once I got dressed Arathnos led me to Papa Bear's study. And who should be waiting for me there? Papa Bear, of course. And also Pinstripes. Because of COURSE my luck would be that bad. 

I should elaborate a bit on Pinstripes before we continue. I mentioned before that he was an infernal, which is like a spirit but from the Abyss instead of the Supernal realms. They're all nasty bastards. They don't a sustained source of energy to manifest physically like spirits do, but they still work under the same ban/bane rules as spirits and scale in power in a similar fashion. Pinstripes was apparently a pretty infamous one, since he was known by name among people who study these things. His actual title is The Collector, and he went around taking things that have a build up of sentimental value and then... pawning them off, I guess? I dunno. He was kind of batshit, and I'm not gonna spend any of our valuable time trying to piece together his motives. So Mr. Collector was sitting there with my master, looking all chipper and cordial. He said he wanted to talk. I told him he should have talked last night, when I offered to bargain with him. He didn't seem to see what the issue was. At least he wasn't shooting at me. Apparently he didn't want to waste time dealing with my cabal, so he was willing to make a deal. He'd leave us alone if we made it possible for him to get the watch. Now I couldn't just give it to me, because *no,* that would be too easy! We had to give it to Isaac's brother, Chris, and Chris had to give it to the Collector. Something about rules of inheritance and ownership and all that jazz. That was the point where I realized the Collector had killed Isaac the night before. If I’d stayed behind I might have been able to save him. But I also could be dead now too. I still don’t know if I made the right choice. What I did know was that there was no way my cabal could stand up to the Collector on our own, so I agreed to his proposal. But I wanted it in writing. So we drew up a contract, signed it, and had Arathnos used his fate magic to magically binding. If either party broke their end of the bargain the universe would come down hard and fast on them. It wasn't specified how, but I would not want to walk around with an ill-fate curse hanging over my head. With that, the meeting ended and the Collector left to see about stealing a lucky half dollar from a kid. I told him he should offer to trade for it. He said he'd rather just point his gun at the kid and see what happened. You have no idea how much I hated that my cabal wasn't strong enough to take him. So there I am, feeling overwhelmed and underprepared and guilty as all fuck when Papa Bear decides it's time for a lecture. He was not happy that I'd run away from the fight. I told him we were all supposed to be running, that I went back when I realized SiSi and Isaac hadn't caught up with me, but that wasn't enough. Papa Bear said we should have stayed together, fought together, and if it came to it, died together. How was I supposed to lead my team if I left them behind? How was I supposed to lead them if I didn't have faith in their abilities? He said he was *ashamed* of me. He really knows how to rub salt in a wound, my Papa Bear. I promised him I'd do better. I really, really wanted to make him proud, you know? He'd done so much for my cabal and I'd been such a brat... I told him I'd wrap up the business with Pinstripes without any further casualties, and vowed to be a better student from then on. Papa bear seemed... satisfied, I guess, with that answer and let me leave. Arathnos offered to call me a cab. I accepted, but I had to make a phone call first. He let me use the house phone and *even* gave me some privacy to talk! After I asked him rather firmly, of course, but you have to be thankful for the little things. I had to call my dad. I was hoping I could call him before he heard about what happened at the duplex on the news. Unfortunately the news reached him first, and when I called he was freaking the fuck right out. He'd tried reaching my cell (which was a lost cause; it probably broke when Arathnos summoned me through it cuz I didn't have it with me when I got there), and when that failed he dropped everything to make arrangements for a trip to Boston to give me a what-for. I know it was entirely justified - I'm his precious baby girl and he didn't think I was safe - but it was also insanely inconvenient. I tried to convince him that I was okay, that I wasn't even home for the break-in, but I've always been a terrible liar and Dad saw right through me. He said he'd be in Boston at 5 pm. I promised I'd be there to meet him. I really, really hated having to lie to my dad. I wanted more than anything to be able to share the new world I'd discovered with him. But life isn't fair, and I had to find a way to balance the mundane and the magical without causing either to implode. Until then, though, I had to get back to my cabal and make a game plan for my deal with Pinstripes. The cab Arathnos had called was waiting for me. Of course it wasn't a normal cab service; this one was run by a tiny little goblin named Jibblet. Like actual faerie goblin. Well I mean, not actual faerie - Saki tells me goblins and faeries are two separate types of creature - but they're from the same realm so you get the idea. The driver was a nice little guy. Rough around the edges, yeah, but he had a great sense of humor. He got me to Aces' in no time flat. Saki met me at the door. He gave me a big hug and said once the business with Pinstripes was over that he was gonna throttle me. Which is only fair, seeing as I'd threatened the same once we got him back from the Quincy Hellhouse. We went to the kitchen and I explained what I'd found out about Isaac's brother. Apparently Lipsy had spent the last three hours holding a séance with Isaac's ghost, so they'd already learned most of the same information I had. Things had gotten a little heated between Lipsy and SiSi on the subject, though, so I was advised to tread carefully around them. I also learned that the Collector had destroyed Edgar’s physical form in the fight, so Lipsy was down a familiar until Edgar spent enough time gathering energy in the Shadow Realm to be able to remanifest on our side of the Gauntlet. I decided to run my deal with Pinstripes by Saki first. Better safe than sorry, you know? I knew SiSi was going to be out for blood and didn't want to agitate her more. We thought it was best to promise her a future shot at Pinstripes. We'd go through with the deal now, get stronger, do more research, and go at him full force once we had more magical firepower under our belts. She actually took it really well when we sat down with her and Lipsy. "I can be patient," she said. That's our SiSi: always looking at the bigger picture! With that, we made preparations to go confront Isaac's brother. I think we'll save that for next time. See you then, Darlings!

[colorfulsuitdestiny-blog]

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I totaled my 2009 pontiac G6. I was the only party involved. I was going about 30 in a 25 zone and the road was snowy. I hit ice and slid up over a curb. I had previously been in an accident in 2009 in my moms vechile. We share insurance and i am 19 soon to be 20.

What to do about insurance?

Is there any way to find insurance that covers a pregnancy? (after you have been pregnant) Even if it is a pre-existing condition, is there an extra amount of money we can pay? I have been using my college's insurance plan for the past 2 years. It is now summer and I no longer have insurance. Unfortunatey my due date is before the fall semester starts so I can't renew it until after the baby is delivered. We thought I would be able to just get onto my husbands plan but they wont cover the insurance AT ALL because he signed some waver years ago (before we were married) saying if he were to get married the insurance doesn't have to cover his wife. (It didn't bother him at the time since he didn't know he would be getting married... he has had the same insurance for nearly 5 years now and he forgot all about it) What should we do? I don't mind finding an insurnace that makes me pay a high premium so they would cover my pregnancy. I just don't know how insurance works!""

Cheaper on insurance 1980 lincoln or a 1995 blazer?

i have a 1980 lincoln mark VI it has a 351 (5.8 liter engine) and a 1995 chevy blazer im 16 and im trying to decide which one to drive they both get the same gas mialage about cause the blazer is an suv so im deciding which would be cheaper on insurance for a 16 year old i think the blazer but im sure hoping not cause the lincolns prettier lol

What is the average cost of Health Insurance adult woman who is a Registered Nurse per month?

Health Insurance for a healthy, non-smoker, fit woman???????""

Asking all female drivers under 25- Whats a cheap car insurer?

Asking all female drivers under 25!! Does anyone know of or have been with any cheap car insurance companies? Ive already checked quite a few but they seem really expensive...Please help!

Are we required to have insurance?

We live in Oregon. We have a Blazer that is just sitting in our driveway not being driven. Our insurance doesn't know about it. My husband thinks if we insure it for a month the insurance will require us to insure it always even when we stop driving it just because we own it. Is that true?

Is Motorcycle insurance the same price as car insurance or is it cheaper?

I had a coupld of friends that have motorcycles and some that have cars. They don't pay for their own insurance but i wanted to know if by any chance if motorcycle insurance is cheaper then auto insurance. I know auto insurance these days are sky high. But since a motorcycle is a lot smaller, shouldn't insurance for it be cheaper for it?""

Will my insurance go up?

Yesterday somebody reversed into my parked car, she was completely at fault, if we decide to go through her insurance will my car insurance also go up? I'm 19 years old and just concerned due to the already ridiculous price of insurance.

Vehicle insurance question?

If I make a buisness delivery in my personal vehicle and have an accident, will my insurance cover me?""

What is the cheapest car insurance?

What is the cheapest car insurance?

Can I cancel my auto insurance because I am leaving the country for 3 months?

I am leaving the USA for 3 months so I was wondering if it would be possible to cancel my auto insurance for these months and not pay the monthly premium. I will not be driving the ...show more

How much does Mercury insurance cost for new teenage drivers?

my family already is on mercury (4 people)...how much more is it with mine included? (im going to have to pay for it)

Do i have to have insurance on my cycle or car.?

So i know it is best to have insurance but i was wondering is it an absolute must, like can i have a car and drive it legally with out insurance?""

Why am I forced to buy health insurance?

I do not want to buy any type of insurance and am willing to live with the potential risk this involves. I respect that others might want to buy insurance, but do not force me to buy it. I respect the decisions of others when they decide to be insured, so in return they should respect that I do not want to be insured and live with the risk this involves. It would then be my own fault if I come into a situation where I would find myself unable to pay health-care costs and succumb to my disease/injuries. So why do some people and the government continue not to respect my way of life if I respect theirs? And please do not say that because public hospitals would be forced to treat uninsured people like me - the government should immediately repeal this socialistic law/practice, too!""

Open driver car insurance?

I have recently got a job which involves me driving a disabled mans car. I have recently passed my driving test (october 2010) and I am only 19 years old. Does this mean the company I am working for needs to pay more for me to drive the car as I am not a experienced driver?

Im an insurance agent and just got a dwi. How will that affect my insurance license?

Im an insurance agent and just got a dwi. How will that affect my insurance license?

Why can insurance companies discriminate based on gender?

I guarantee you if a 16 year old girl bought the same sports car as a 16 year old boy, the boy would be charged considerably more. I understand the age discrimination, being that teenagers ARE a greater risk, but it's not right to discriminate based on gender.""

Car insurance companies with no deposit?

i need car insurance but cannot afford to pay an upfront deposit? can any one help?

Will my husband's car insurance cover the cost of the damaged car?

I was driving my husband's car (in the UK) which is insured in his name. He also put my name in the insurance agreement that I have permission to drive his car etc. However, I do not have a driving licence but my husband does of course. I got into a serious car accident and my husband's car is completely ruined. The police took information and saw that I was driving the car. Will my husband's car be covered by his insurance or will they reject it because I was driving it? He has fully comprehensive car insurance. Thanks.""

How much would insurance cost on a 49cc scooter?

I'm 30 year old and live in Leeds / UK , iv never had a car or motobike before so all this is new to me , I know roughly price of tax ,mot, cbt, but id like to no roughly price of insurance for me on a 49cc scooter so I no how much I can spend on the bike , the bike when id get it would b chained up and stored in a locked garage over night , I'm not able to reply to answers or add info after iv sent this question so more info the better please""

Motocycle insurance??

i want to buy a motocycle (sports bike) buti would like to know an estimate of how much it will cost for insurance. Are sports bike more expensive than a car? I'm paying around 200 for my monthly with a car right now.

Cure auto insurance online?

I need insurance now! I have completed my form on cure auto insurance and I'm now on the last page to agreeing to the power of attorney and agreement to conduct business electronically and it saying over and over again that I must scroll and read it. But I have! Why won't it let me agree?

Car insurance excess?

I'm having trouble understanding how car insurance, repairs and excess works in VIC, Australia. I gather that the driver who is at fault pays an excess to his insurance company before his vehicle is repaired, and his insurance company covers the repairs for the other vehicle involved. Will this excess see both vehicles being repaired, or do two excesses need to be payed?""

Where can i get a quote for a bugatti?

i want to get an insurance quote for a bugatti veyron but i cant seem to find a company that insures them. does anyone know a company that will?

""If your auto insurance expires today, do you get a grace period?""

If so, how long is the grace period?""

How much will my second speeding ticket make my insurance rates go up?

I received a speeding ticket in January for 90 in a 70 (I-5 on my way down to San Diego), and today I received another ticket for 86 in a 65 on Freeway 85 in Cupertino. The first ticket is being taken care of with traffic school right now, and since I can't go to traffic school again so soon I'm assuming the 2nd ticket will increase my insurance rates. Does anyone know how much they will increase? I'm 21 and am on my parents' insurance (USAA) because I'm in college, but I will be paying whatever the difference in premium is so I'm trying to get an idea of what the damage is here. Also, I know I messed up, so no need to tell me in the answers. I thought I'd learned my lesson after the first ticket but apparently I still haven't, so at this point I'm just afraid to get into a car.""

How do I get insurance for a car with that on the title?

How do I get insurance for a car with that on the title?

How much does the general auto insurance cost?

How much does the general auto insurance cost?

""Insurance rates for a 21 year old male, CA?""

I got my license when I was 19. I've been driving for two and a half years and barely found out I am not on my parents insurance. I was planning on buying a brand new car but I am now worried about insruance rates. I know they'll be high, but how high. I know insurance rates are based on age and experience. Is it likely I will be charged more because I have never been insured? Last time I checked for insurance I got calls for about 5 weeks straight. This time I don't want to give out any personal information. My question basically is will never previously having insurance before affect my rates?""

""If I already have health insurance, but get hired somewhere where they also have health insurance as a benefit?""

does that mean I HAVE to have their insurance? I want to keep my own insurance, which is under my parents health insurance.""

Do auto insurance companies actually confirm the info you provide for the quote?

After requesting a quote online, you anto insurance companies actually confirm that all the info u gave are true? For example; moving violations, actual address? Does the DMV verify this info?""

How do people driver around without car insurance and get away with it?

I watch court shows on tv and many people are taking someone to court because of an accident and the other party does not have car insurance

CAR INSURANCE FOR 16 YEAR OLD?!?

i am looking to get car insurance.

Will my insurance go up?

Yesterday somebody reversed into my parked car, she was completely at fault, if we decide to go through her insurance will my car insurance also go up? I'm 19 years old and just concerned due to the already ridiculous price of insurance.

How much will my insurance go up?

I was trying to merge onto the freeway when the lady in front of me made an inexplicable complete stop on the on ramp. I slammed on my brakes and rode the ABS down to about 15MPH when I hit her. Turns out she was on heroine, and CHP arrested her at the scene. The chippy's were really cool and said my situation was totally understandable , but said my insurance may not see it that way. (the damage to the crack head's car was minimal, and she was not injured) I'm not going to claim the damage to my car. I can fix it myself. So lets say with a little paint and body work, her repair cost is $1000.......how much will my insurance go up? I am 23, and have a flawless driving record until today.""

At what age does a car qualify for Classic Motor Insurance?

At what age does a car qualify for Classic Motor Insurance?

Car insurance going up?

We were involved in a hit and run accident. Obviously not our fault, but the people that did it drove off. They've yet to be found. Our car was totaled and we're currently waiting on a payment from the insurance company. My question is, will our monthly car insurance payment go up, even though the accident wasn't our fault? Also, if they find the people that did it (there's more to the story and we're waiting on fingerprints from the car) is it possible to get their insurance to pay the extra amount if ours DOES go up?""

Law/Rules of insurance?

I am a 20year old young adult who is my my fathers insurance. I'm turning 21 in two months and my father is happy about that because he says that I will be off his insurance. I'm kinda scared because I'm getting surgery after my birthday and I won't have insurance. I've been reading online that I can be on his insurance until I'm 26 if I'm married, live on my own, enrolled in school etc. I'm not enrolled in school but I will in the summer again. So what will happen?""

Auto Insurance question...?

If my teen neighbor (with a licence)borrowed my car and he/she wrecked it, would my insurance cover it? If so, why do teens that are driving, have a licence, have to be covered on parents insurance if they are driving their parents car? Isn't the car already covered by insurance? Why do I have to pay insurance on my teen and not my neighbor?""

Can anyone help with car insurance?

I'm 17 and I passed my test about 2 months ago. I am looking to buy a Peugeot 306 and insure it with my mum as main driver as she is not a main driver on any another policy then have me as named driver. The only problem is that she doesnt have any No Claims Bonus as she is named driver on my dad's insurance. Could anyone tell me which company might be cheapest to do this with please?

What is the cheapest insurance for a 17 year old driver?

What is the cheapest insurance for a 17 year old driver?

""How much is insurance going to cost me, 18 and driving a Nissan altima?

How much will it cost to insure myself at this age?

What is best single Premium Insurance Policy?

My father looking Good Return Single Priemium Insurance Policy and father age is 58.Please help me.

I need help with family life insurance...?

I need to buy life insurance for my family. 1. Which one should I look into? 2. Is there a whole vs term family life insurance? 3. If I buy the life insurance for the family, does the insurance only covers my kids until they turn 18 years old?""

What is a cheep insurance for an 18 year old guy?

Hi i am 18 an live with my parents.I live in Louisiana an have a little white Nissan.I was just wondering about how much would it cost me a mouth for car insurance and what insurance company would be the best to go to.Any information would be helpful thank you very much.

Where can I find health insurance in alabama?

Where can I find health insurance in alabama?

Cheapest insurance?

What company has the cheapest insurance for used cars.

Car insurance?

Ok, cheap me has been trying to find a second hand car (Opel corsa). Found one I might like at about 29k with a mileage of 167k on Carfind. Tried to get an eQuote from First for women - (I'm still waiting). Anyone could suggest any other reasonable insurance companies I could try? Or do any of you know how much I would be paying for insurance, just an estimate. Would also love some help with any other cars (preferably Opel corsa) at reasonable rates. Looking between 20-35k and no more than R800p/m. If anyone has info please contact me by email. Thank you PS: I'm in Johannesburg (Northen Suburbs)""

Car accident insurance?

I was in a car accident where I accidentally hit a car, i called the police but he didn't give me a ticket. The car insurance is under my moms name. The insurance expired on the same day at 12:01am and the accident happen around 11:00am. I guess the cop missed the expired day. The other car door was seriously dented. Will the insurance still pay for the other car since I didn't get no ticket. My mom did renew the insurance the next day.""

How much will my car insurance be as a new driver?

I'm learning to drive as a necessity for a new job, but I am struggling to get a reliable estimate of the insurance premium I should expect once I have a car. I know that nobody will be able to give me a precise figure as it depends on so many variables, but I wondered if anyone would know what to put into a quote generator to get something accurate? I'm female, in the UK, 27 years old and will need a cheap and cheerful 5 door hatchback. Unfortunately I don't know enough about engine sizes and that sort of thing to know if I'm answering the questions on the form realistically. I tried compare the market and got a cheapest quote of 3,700 per annum - does this sound right? I know it will be expensive but even so that seems very high for a 1999 Vauxhall Corsa! (the car I used to get the quote). I do realise this is a very subjective question but any advice is greatly appreciated - at the moment it is looking like I won't be able to take up a dream job offer as all I will be doing is working to pay for a car that I oly got in order to take the job :(""

Car insurance question?

I just payed my car insurance in full From January till May and i want to change my insurance company because i got a better offer from another company. My question is can i cancel the one i have right now and switch to the new company and if i do will i get my money back from the insurance company i have right now? How does that work? or do i have to stay insured with them till my insurance expires?

Can you purchase auto insurance over the phone or online??

can you purchase auto insurance over the phone or online??

""Bike insurance idea, would it work?""

As you know insurance for a 600cc sports bike for a 17yr old (male) is extremely high (I was quoted 9000+), however you may of heard of fronting, (putting someone with lots more experience and age as the main driver and putting me (17yr old) as a second driver) this apparently greatly reduces the insurance cost, however is a form of insurance fraud and is illegal. But I thought of a plan... You see I have my heart set on a honda cbr600rr, it is much cheaper than a 125cc bike that I would buy new only to buy another bike a few years later thus deeming the 125 useless, but what if I got the 600 and did make my dad (who is much older and more experienced) the main driver and me the 2nd, but to avoid it being fronting, he could use it when i'm not and I could force him to ride somewhere so ultimately he would have used it more so it wouldn't be illegal right? By the way he mostly goes out at night so it would not interfere with my needs.""

How do I get Car insurance before i get my Drivers License?

I'm under 18 and im getting ready to get my provisional drivers License. They said i need proof of insurance to get my license. But how do i get insurance if i dont have a car? I know people usually are supposed to be added to their parents insurance policy to take care of this, but my parents dont have drive or have insurance........ What do i do? Ive heard that i should get an uncle or grandparent to add me to their policy, but is that true? Help me out... thanks""

Just got a car insurance quote for 6000?

Ok, Im a 17 year old male driver, so I expect my insurance to be through the roof, but come on can this amount be real ? This was for a 1997 2 door corsa""

Do I need insurance to drive someone elses car?

I just got my license 2 days ago, I don't own a car so I was wondering if I can drive my moms friends car? He has insurance, but do I need insurance to drive that car? I don't have any insurance what so ever. But even though, is it still ok to drive someone elses car?""

Whats a good health insurance company?

One that is affordable, has good coverage, good selection of choices? Fair, good quality, what do you recommend ?""

""How do you purchase a car without insurance, and how do you get insuracnce with out a car?""

I left my insurace expire, and noe I need to get insurance, but I don't know what car i'm going to get, so which comes first, the insurance or the car?""

Best car insurance for young drivers?

My daughter learning to drive which is the best way to insure her as its very exspensive

Will my insurance go up?

Yesterday somebody reversed into my parked car, she was completely at fault, if we decide to go through her insurance will my car insurance also go up? I'm 19 years old and just concerned due to the already ridiculous price of insurance.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/do-farmers-get-cheaper-car-insurance-through-nfu-union-brandon-carter"