1996 Ford Crown Victoria won't shift properly from shift nob?

First it wouldn't go into park. Now it seems like it barely wants to go into reverse and there's too much slack between gears pertaining to the shifter(shift nob). Is it the shifter cable that needs tightened or something pertaining to the steering column or…

It is not the shift cable because it doesn't have one. This is what happens when you jam it into gear or park, Ford stocks the part just ask for the shift tube. Then drop the steering column down onto the seat remove the covers and you will see the broken tube you need to replace.

Old cars need a few hundred dollars spent on them every six months to keep them running good.
Hope it's not the transmission!
If the transmission is bad it would cost $2500 to fix.