death of a paycheck

I dropped off my car to be checked, whether the battery was why my car wouldn't stay running or else. It was not the battery said Auto Zone who nicely, free of charge, charged it and did an analysis ... taking 4 hours. It was 8, and they weren't going to put it back in that night (though open until 9). I got there at 8 in the morning, but they weren't open.... wait, wait, wait...
8:20 some one flies in with keys ... others were there, but they couldn't / didn't do the register.
I got my battery back, but had to install it myself ... ya!

I drove it a short distance to a garage ... diagnosis --- alternator is shot. They tried for a while to find one. They did find one in Indy -- perhaps would be there the next day.

The estimate --- $350 about. That is about the value of the car ... great!

I will have to find a replacement for the vehicle this year, I suspect.