Update

So the guy came.  Fixed the air conditioner.  Warned us it is "aging" and we should be saving for a new one.  But for now it's working fine.  The best part was the price. (He told us he mostly sees repairs for units like ours in the $800-$900 range.) 

We purchased a new furnace from them a year or so ago.  They considered the furnace warranty/maintenance to cover this service call.  Then gave us a 15% discount.

So:  

Service Call:  free

Part and installation:  $126.00  

Total cost:  $126.00

And it took him less than an hour.  We are cool in the house, things are running smoothly (fingers crossed it continues) and I'm all agog that it was all so easily taken care of.  Blessings are often discovered in the most mundane parts of life.

So grateful for this blessing.  I am having a hard time believing it all happened the way it did.  Really.  Just very, very grateful.