My Neighbor Sold Me a Car and Hid a Major Problem – But Karma Got Her Back Big Time

You recall that occasion when life slaps you when you have already fallen? My neighbor is a schemer who fancied that she could manage to lay a fast one on a broke single mom like me. She fooled me to purchase her salvaged automobile car and she thought she could keep my money that I had accumulated through hard work. However different plans that lay in store.

Three years ago he fell apart when my husband Dan got killed in that horrendous accident on Highway 52. I was a happy wife planning summer vacation with my kids one minute and a 30 something widow with bills up to my nose and heart broken the other.

I got to work two jobs such as serving hash at Mel diner in the morning and mopping floors at the offices at nighttime where my beautiful mom takes care of my children Dora and Ethan.

It was Tuesday morning, last week, when the grocery store parking bade farewell to my antique minivan as it labored its last gasp of life. Consider black smoke, awful grinding racket… the entire dramatic death scene.

There I was, looking at the steering wheel and I started trying not to cry because I understood that this was another cost I could not cover.

It was then that Cheryl came in focusing across the parking lot as though she owned it. There is something about my neighbor, you see? Prowling about with all her blaring jewelry and just-bought makeup, never shuts up about who she had last night or a phenomenal bargain.

“April, honey!” her heels clicking on the asphalt she called out. “Car trouble?”

I hastily wiped the eyes. Oh, I bet she is dead and buried, now.

Cheryl looked at her well tested manicured nails. You see what? This can be your lucky day! I have this small Toyota that is just lying in my garage… hardly driven. Tommy, my nephew, stayed there about six months and then he went to California.”

My heart missed a beat. “Really? How much?”

Normally, I am asking three grand, but since we are neighbors, two and a half!! It is almost a give-away you know?!!!”

Damn it, I suppose that I ought to have known something was wrong when Cheryl had wanted to meet me punctually at seven a.m. the following morning. Who sells cars in the early morning unless he is hiding something?

Sorry it is so early, not looking sorry at all. I have yoga at nine and brunch with my new boyfriend Marcus. He indeed is going to take me to some fancy place downtown.”

The toyota was sitting there appearing innocent enough silver and clean, nothing looked really wrong. As soon as I turned the key, it waited to start.

“See? meows like a kitten!” Oh, up you go, said Cheryl, sliding into the other seat. Tommy took a great care of it. In our case, we did oil changes every 3 months… never missed one.”

We went round the block two times. Radio was good, the air conditioner was blowing cold and the brakes felt okay. Well I am not a mechanic but I thought all was okay.

Got any troubles I ought to know about? I questioned her when we drove back to her driveway.

Cheryl guffawed, that tintinnabulating sound which still gave me the creeps. Oh Honey, you know if they were bad, I cannot sell it this cheaply to my neighbor, right? This baby still has some years to live.”

I took 25 crisp hundreds out of my emergency fund which I was saving to buy Dora school supplies and Ethan soccer cleats. Cheryl did not even wait to pick up the cash in my hands literally.

It has been fun to do business with you April. You are going to like this car.”

Twenty-four hours after, I was waiting on the side of Clover Hill with my hazard lights flashing, with Dora screaming in her car seat and smoke blowing out of the hood.

Was the car bunged, Mommy? With a small and scared voice Ethan inquired on the back seat.
Don,t worry baby,” I said, even though my hands were shaking while calling a tow truck. We shall make this out.

Frank the mechanic opened the hood of the car at Murphy Auto shop and quietly whistled. He was a doer, one of those nice, old school guys who had been a car mechanic since I was a little tot.

Ma’am, I am sorry to tell you this, but this engine is dead to rights. It is clamped down much like a drum. The person which sold you this car knew what he was doing.”

I felt like I had sunk in my gut. what do you say?

Figure Frank rubbed the greasy hands together with a rag, grim-looking. Look across these bits of metal in the oil? This engine is long since dying. The oil pump goes like crazy, likely to be making all sorts of noise. There must have been no way that the owner before did not know.
What will it cost to repair it?

Its more than the value of the car. That will run you four or maybe five thousand dollars and that will be a full engine rebuild.”

I felt I will vomit. You are quite sure?”

Twenty seven years in this sort of business and I am no more confident of anything. I do feel awfully sorry, hon. You have been had.”

I grabbed a taxi and got the children to school and I just managed to keep it together long enough to wave to them. The next thing I did was go right across the street to the home of Cheryl, teeth gritting until I expected them to snap.

The smug little wind chimes jangled and gave me the impression they were laughing at me, as I pounded on her front door, with her picture perfect lawn in the background.

She opened it in a silk robe and with a mimosa and it appeared that she was not worried about anything.

“April! What makes you pass this early?”

Quit your pretence, Cheryl. You sold me a pile of junk knowing that engine is bad.”

One well formed eyebrow rose toward the heavens. I don not know what you mean. The automobile has been driving yesterday.”

The mechanic tells me that it has been faulty months ago! You cheated me because I had money that I could not afford to lose!”

Honey, you took it out on a test drive. You have paid in cash. There are no warranties, no returns. That is how it is done in the real world car selling.” She began to shut the door. Next time perhaps you will do your homework.”

“Cheryl, please. I am a single mother. This is what I had as an emergency fund. My kids—”

The door closed with the sound of banging and a very firm click.

The next day, and after my taxing work-shift, I sulked my rear back to Murphy to vacuum out the useless Toyota. When I met Frank in the lot he was honestly sorry about my predicament.

He gave me back the keys by saying, I feel bad what happened. Others were born with no conscience or heart.

When I was collecting my work uniform and forgotten toys of my kids around the backseat, Frank yelled, “And finally, April? Never neglect to scan beneath the seats as you clean a car. You can see what folks leave!”

In his tone there was something that caused me to hesitate. My hand touched something leathery, I stretched under the driver seat and could find nothing. It was a bag that I had never seen.

My fingers shook when I unzipped it. There were a hundred-dollar bills in form of a heavy stack. I did count it twice, I was not seeing right. Seven thousand dollars!

It also contained an envelope marked with messy handwriting in what appeared to be the name Cheryl. There were also receipts of a local pawn shop in the town.

I could feel my hearts beating, and everything fitted into the puzzles. And it was not money after all it was the money of Cheryl which she had left in the car which she had used to cheat me.

In a cab I drove home too fast with a smile. I was carrying groceries out to the porch when I heard loud angry click of heels on the pavement. Certainly, Cheryl was meandering across the street and her face flushed with panic written all over her.
“April! Praise God you are at home. I must hear something of you.”

I put my groceries bags gearwise. How is it going, Cheryl?

Did you by chance find a leather bag when you emptied the Toyota? Tiny, brown, zipped?”

“A bag? Which type of bag?”

Just… a bag I had perhaps forgotten. There are some valuable papers in it. Sentimental stuff.”

I gave my head a tilt indicating that I was in a state of contemplation. “Sentimental stuff? That’s funny. You did not appear to be exactly in love with sentiment when you were urging me to accept your broken car the other day.”

There, I know you discovered it. You just send it back and we can just pretend this car thing never existed.’

Oh, you means the one full of seven grand in greenbacks? That bag?”

Her face turned white. It is NOT your money.”

I grabbed my grocery bags and begun to walk up towards my front door. Say, you know what, Cheryl? YOU are very right! I will consider what you said when I want my money back.”
At my door I stopped piston in hand and turned back to her with the freshest smile I could make.

Oh, yes I remember. No cauntinies, no returns. That is how it is in real life.”
I stepped in, and throwing the door behind me, her mouth opened.

I peered through my front window where Cheryl was walking up and down on her lawn with her cell phone stuck to her ear flailing her arms. It appeared that she had a hot chat with some person.

An hour later my phone rang, and an unknown number showed up.

Cheryl this is April. There should be a discussion.”

“About what?”

I do not own that money. It is of some grave people who will not be glad to lose it.”
I laughed. Well then I want to get this straight. You sell me a faulty vehicle, close the door in my face when I come to you needing assistance, now you need me to come to your rescue whenever you plunge yourself into some sort of trouble?”

“April, please. You do not see”

I know very well. You attempted to exploit a poor single mother and you got backfired. Perhaps the next time you will second guess screwing over your neighbors.”

I disconnected and placed my phone as I put my phone to a silent mode with strangers.
In the morning, I came to wake up with the house of Cheryl totally dark. Her paper was accumulating untouched, her lawn decor was already becoming askew and her car was missing.

Frank in auto shop phoned the same afternoon. “April? Good news. I sold that Toyota. Guy requires it to have parts. It won t be much but it will pay your towing and put a couple hundred in your pocket.

Frank, you are a dear!

And then, by the way, I was told by the grapevine that Mr. Martinez… you know, a fellow works in town… reliable Honda, no less. Just price, not a fraud. Your number, you want me to give him your number?”
Three weeks after,

I was carting my children to school using a reliable Honda, money in my emergency rainy day fund and a tale that continues to give me a grin. Dora was talking constantly about her new school play and Ethan was eager about the new soccer season.

and Dora asked in the back seat, Mommy, why does not Miss Cheryl live across the street now?

I looked at the air of the sale sign that had been on the Cheryl lawn. And then sometimes, sweetheart, when folks make bad decisions they have to relocate.

Such as the story of Joey being suspended after he had cheated in his spelling exam?”

Just exactly that, kid!
When we were drawing into the parking lot of the school I caught a glance of myself in the mirror. I was smiling like I had not been smiling in months.

In a way the universe can be funny in balancing the scales. It is not just the karma just knocking in your door… no, karma kicks the door down and puts some justice and poetic irony full of it.