Terrible news. A close – very close – loved one is sick.

The Bug has a bug.

My wonderful mechanic Grant can give you a detailed description, but the long and the short of it is that The Bug (who I never gave a proper name, SHAME ON ME!) is under the weather. It always needs more fluids. Do you know how many fluids you can put into a car? Sorry to say, I do. And it always needs to be checked out, because The Bug LOVES making weird noises at just the worst times. Like today, when it sounded like a block of granite dropped into a wood chipper.

Of course, this happened on the way to work. I was just, like, two miles out, then the voices of hell came from my engine, so I pulled over. Luckily, Dylan drove by and towed my car to work with his truck. Also, why does he have such a huge truck? Whatever.

On the ride in, I was thinking about all the work I had to do to the car. And then I thought about all the work to do at the motel. Not the filing and stuff, but the work, like comforting Norman about why Bradley doesn’t like him. And telling Norma… just reassuring Norma… About a lot of things. And then it hit me. The Bug is The Bates.

They’re both very needy.

They’re both very unique.

They both give me a lot.

They both ask for A LOT.

I can’t imagine living without them. For better, or for worse.

I need them both.

Anybody got any good stories about needy friends? Or car trouble, for that matter…