Need help steering box? Car out of commission

Well along with all the advice you have so far...pointing at the shop that did the alignment..... the following questions apply

if it's power steering, did you have this issue BEFORE he did the alignment? IF NOT mr smartypants mechanic may have played with your PS valve adjustment to get your wheel straight. A clear sign that he is an idiot

if you took it in for that reason and he is licensed mechanic then he is legally OBLIGATED to tell you that your parts are worn and potentially dangerous. NOT telling you can bring legal action to his doorstep.

Doing an alignment with sloppy FE parts is not only foolish it is VERY DANGEROUS!! UNLESS you told him to do it anyway and for that he would have asked you to sign a release....but in this sit the parts must be operational and only in an " above marginal " state..... if you steering was hosed on the way in.... he was clearly negligent and you have a bit of work to do and some money to spend on new FE parts.....

IF your steering is manual.... you have a very sloppy FE and need to replace pretty much everything .....although if the condition is as bad as you say ONE of the parts is likely in obvious poor condition..... I had a tie rod end that used to lock up and seemed fine until you went 10+ feet down a semi bumpy road...then it was like having NO steering

good luck