Adventures in my '99 Contour.

I'm just about finished with my shop clean-up project. As the problem was years in the making, the job was daunting (especially considering my current health issues).
I really need some jam when I endeavor such an (ahem) endeavor, but my old boom box is on its last leg. The cassette door (yes, cassette!) is broken off, the right speaker cuts in and out and the CD player will only play about 1/2 of a song before the music goes dead and it sounds as if the disc is being hurled about, willy nilly, inside. It's so old that it never would play MP3s, anyway.
Meanwhile (back in the jungle) I have to get my car inspected. Because of a faulty catalytic converter the engine light stays on. It won't pass inspection with the light on, and catalytic converters cost a fortune. In fact, there have been a rash of thefts, recently. People are crawling under cars and sawing off converters. So I did the old pull-the-cable-off-the-battery trick. This is the kind of measure one has to resort to when one is financially challenged. Taking the cable off (and putting it back on) resets your engine light, but you have to put about 50 miles on the pedometer before it can be inspected - otherwise the mechanic can tell that you're pulling a Super Fly (i.e. "trying to get over..."). I thought I would kill 2 birds with 1 stone and drive around to various pawn shops, searching for a cheap ghetto blaster. I can't bring myself to purchase a new CD player, just to put it out in that dusty old shop of mine. Anywaaaay, as I was pulling into a pawn shop parking lot, a guy started backing out. I could tell he wasn't going to stop, so I jerked my car into reverse. When I did, the car went back a bit (enough to avoid a small collision), cut off, and would not start. I pushed it into a parking space and continued attempting to start it. Nothing. I thought that I had ruined my transmission. Or that the timing belt had jumped. Eventually, I bit the bullet and called for help. My brothers-in-law both came out. The problem - much to my amazement - turned out to be a blown ignition fuse. $2. Considering what had transpired before-hand, I would never have thought of a fuse. So, a big thanks to my family. I have never been so happy as when that car fired up!
Boom box? I'm still looking.