If it's not my crisis, it is some one else's that affects me. We are all in the same global village, after all. Chris was on his way back from Raleigh when his van malfunctioned. He has been putting off vehicle maintenance. It came back to bite him. Chris wants to return to my house to accomplish the final push to get his degree. His van was loaded with his possessions He had taken it for a summer visit in Raleigh NC.
The van noise was so threatening, that He turned back to Raleigh. The mechanic said his engine mounts were breaking. The engine was leaning the wrong way. Even the axles were breaking. The estimate for repairs were greater than the worth of the vehicle. There are transmission problems as well.
Chris decides against repairing his van. He wants only to get back to Connecticut in time for school. How to get back home? His Mom has sent him gas money. That wasn't enough for a UHaul or car rental. For me to pick him up would be expensive if you include the cost of putting a sick dog in the dog hospital, motel room and gas and tolls. It was better to just send money to Chris so He could rent a car or take a bus. He has also to get his possessions back. As I remember, his van was loaded up...more than a suitcase or two.
I am willing to put his car rental on my credit card. The problem is, I am not in Raleigh. Can I set it up in Connecticut? Chris can pick up a pre-paid car in Raleigh? No. The credit card and the contract must have the same name. OK. How about Chris use his credit card and I reimburse him when he gets here? No good. Chris was scammed by credit card companies. He was paying usury rates of interest. He fought back by paying off the cards and canceling them. Chris has no credit cards. He does have a debit card attached to his checking account. Could We use that? I send him money overnight. He is to deposit it in his checking account, wait one day for the check to clear. Then He can access this money. No good. The car rental companies want $300 earnest money deposit on top of the rental fee if Chris uses a debit card. This is way out of line. It will cost Chris $500 to rent a car for one day. This is an offer we can refuse.
Our next stop is the airlines. I think Chris can get a one way ticket to Connecticut for about $100. He can carry a suitcase and mail the rest of his stuff to himself through the post office. His other option is to go Greyhound Bus and ship his stuff with him. I am waiting for his email to learn what He has decided. In the meantime, Chris is still in Raleigh.