"It was a Monday.  A fucking hot Monday.  The A.C. on the Mercedes was busted... again.  Rebecca says I should get a new car, but I always tell her cars are like women, you don't just trade 'em in when they get old.  A fact I thought she would appreciate.  Besides, this wasn't the time to be buying a car.  I had used most of our savings the last three years working on my new book, a draft of which was right now on my editor's desk..."