Break Down!

The check gauges light has been going on and off in my car for awhile now. I would have taken the car in-but my mechanic's been on vacation. For over a month! He came back Thursday and I wanted him to check out my car Friday-but he couldn't get me in until Monday. Today was the day I drove to Pennsylvania to meet up with my Ohio friends. We had a nice time, but I was anxious to get home and we didn't do much together. I drove up route 5 a bit and at a last stop I noticed the car had a burning smell to it. Oh, please, just let me get home. I got on the thruway at Silver Creek. I'm going along when I start to hear a metallic clicking sound. Uh oh. Then the check engine light starts blinking and I have difficulty maintaining my speed. I see a sign-1 mile to the Eden/Angola exit. I make it to the exit and then see white smoke coming from the hood of the car. It's a small exit-with only one toll worker, so I stop for the car ahead of me. Then I can't start. Then I do start with a huge cloud of smoke and a squeal from the car. The toll worker, whom I can barely see for the smoke, tells me to pull into their parking lot. Oncoming cars stop and let me through. I stopped and popped the hood, though I didn't open it. A brownish green gunk was oozing from the front of the car and well as underneath. I call my folks to get the address for their mechanic as he's closer then call AAA. I didn't have to wait long. He asked where I wanted to go and I told him I had 2 choices-my mechanic near Rochester and my dad's in North Tonawanda. He asked what kind of AAA I had, I said just basic and he replied, "You want to go to North Tonawanda". AAA covered the pick up and the first 5 miles, but after that it's $4.50 a mile! NT is not close to Angola-but it's closer than NC! My mom met me there and then she told me I called then just in time. They were leaving in 10 minutes for a banquet. I felt sooooo guilty. I completely forgot about it and they were so looking forward to going. Mom took me to their place, then I took her car and drove home. We'll see what happens. The tow truck guy said it looked like the antifreeze hose blew...but when I told him more, he said the engine could be toast. Ugh.