Day 237: Auto Floor Mat Insanity

Total Amount Spent: $50.35 

Yesterday's trip to the car wash, fairly expensive in it's own right, got a little more expensive today.

This morning, while driving home with my from the closest drive-thru Starbucks window (her coffee habit, she paid), I looked down for some reason and realized that I'd left her passenger-side floor mat at the car wash.  That immediately triggered one of those sick-sinking-stomach feelings.  I took the longer route home in order to swing by the car wash hoping against hope that I'd find that mat sitting right there next to the vacumms where I'd left it.

No such luck.

I made a circle looking around and then pulled back into the bay to write down the contact number for the wash -- when from out of the service door comes the car wash owner himself.  I asked if he'd found the mat.  A quick look produced an unhappy, "no."  Then he helped me check the dumpster.  Not there either.  I was, as they say in the biz, S.O.L.

Naturally, there's an Advanced Auto Parts right there in the same strip mall.  I was hoping that maybe they stocked replacement OEM floor mats but luck simply was not with me today.  all they had were the generic sets.

Just as a joke I pointed out the Tweety Bird mat sets and said we should get them.  My mom -- almost 70 and of European birth and upbringing and violently anti-Disney and anti-animation -- laughed and then noticed the Betty Boop mat set.  Can you believe, that's the set she picked?  I was surprised she even recognized the Betty Boop character!

Naturally on the way to check out, I spied a Betty Boop keychain that was essential to round-out the ridiculousness of the fashion statement we were about to make.

After the deal was done, both my mom and I were surprised at the total -- $50.35.  Neither of us had realized that the small backseat mats were sold separately.  The front mat set cost $26.88, each back mat cost $7.97, and the keychain was another $3.98.

We left all of the tags and packaging intact so was can return them if and when sanity makes a comeback.

Related posts:

1. Day 238: More Car Mats & Trip Preparation
2. One Purchase, One Expense — Both Huge
3. Day 110: Brushing Up, Dressing Up, and Bagels
4. Boring Groceries & Exciting Woot! Find
5. Day 86: DIY Auto Repair and Santa’s Helper