I need a car

I am a small town woman from the gold rush country living in Los Angeles county...without a car.  I am raising money to afford a used car one of my aquaintences is selling.  Please hear my tale. 

My name is Melanie. I've been a resident of L.A county since 2006.  Between 2002 and 2010, I had a1996 Toyota 4 door sedan that I racked up over 240,000 miles on.  In February of 2010, my car's engine threw a rod on the freeway.  Somehow, I was lucky enough to get the car into a parking lot where it died for good.  The cost of replacing it was not worth the value of the car, so I sold it to a junker.  

Ever since then, I've been commuting by bicycle and public transportation.  I. Hate. It.  

I am a rather busty woman, and despite my average facial appearance, I've been harrassed at bus stops and at train stations numerous times.  I created a fake boyfriend just so I had that as a backpocket "GTF away from me" card.  Because men respect another man's property rather than a woman saying "No."  

The most frightening time was when I was alone at night in Chatsworth waiting for the bus, and had to hold my keys out as a weapon toward a large man who approached me.  I warned him to back off. Thankfully, he did.  If he hadn't I'd have likely been injured, or raped.  

I've also been followed.  

I had an old homeless man hump his shopping cart in front of me while I was alone in L.A waiting for the bus that took 30 minutes to get there.  I was so frightened, I couldn't sleep when I finally got home.  That completely discouraged me from taking a night class at UCLA, simply because I couldn't trust being able to get there and home again without being assaulted.  

I had to ride my bicycle to and from my work 10 miles away (20 mile round trip) and take the bus every day from 2010-2014 (I lost my job after that time.) If I missed the bus on a rainy day, or a really hot day, I'd have no choice but to ride.  I've suffered numerous accounts of heat stroke, gotten sick from being in foul weather, been hit by cars that didn't care that I was a real Human on an unprotected machine, had crazy homeless people yell at me, throw garbage at me, attack me late at night while I had to wait 30 minutes for the bus to show up because I was too far from my house, and had a guy PEE ON ME on the bus.  I've had two of my bicycles stolen.  

I need a car.

Sure, I lost a little weight from the bike riding, but I now have tendonitis in both ankles due to that being my main transportation, and prefering to ride rather than endure the bus.  I need a car.

I've lost out on good paying jobs simply because I lacked reliable transportation.  I've been forced to change my life from an already poor state of financial living, to making the decision between paying my phone bill, or buying food for a week.  My idea, now, of a high indulgance is spending $15 eating out with friends. I absolutely refuse to let a lack of money or lack of a car keep me from enjoying my friends' company, because I love them.  They are my strength.  

I have not been able to travel back home up the state to see any of my family since  Christmas of 2014.  I am from the Sierra Nevada countryside, and sometimes the city becomes to much.  But I can't escape it.  I don't have a car.  

I am a voice actor.  I've had small gigs, but I've had to turn down some because I couldn't make it to their studio location.  They didn't want the recording done from my home.  I recently had the chance to audition for an industry respected casting director, and feel like I have a real chance of my life turning around from this minimum wage job to a real future doing what I love.  I need a car.  

After 6 years of countless points of limitations, fear-inducing incidents for my personal safety, and being put through the courts by an insurance scammer (He lost, btw, but I was left with a fear of the courts) I've had it.  I am 100% done.  The cons HIGHLY outweight the pros of being car-less.

WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING:  
My aquaintance is selling a vehicle that can handle the drive around town, and the drive up north and back.  It's not pretty.  It's a workhorse, but I don't care about how it looks.  That can always be changed later.  I just need it to run.  It will need some work to get it going smoothly.  I've set my goal to account for the purchase price of the car, insurance for a year (so I can keep my paychecks devoted to rent, food, and minor social things,) and tranferance fees of the pink slip from the DMV.  And if I have anything left over, my landlord will get rent in full and I can actually start creating a savings account with my paychecks.  

If I make more than the goal, I can finally get my eyes checked after 5 years, and afford new glasses.  The frames are broken, bent, held together by tape that you can see in the video, and the prescription is 6 years old.  I had a newer pair, but lost them in the summer of last year.

THIS MEANS SO MUCH TO ME BECAUSE...
I am hopeful for a recent interview, and I am continuing to search for a better paying job.  A car will greatly help.  I will have my independance back.  I will no longer fear going out at night, because I'll know I can get home.  

WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF IT?? 
I am a voice actor.  I will record a professional voicemail for anyone who donates.  I will email it to you in an .mp3 format so you can use it on your phone.

Thank you for your time and consideration.