I Should Have Been More Specific

Yesterday, Kathy and I took her car into the shop because she'd been having trouble with the battery. When we got back home, I took a look under the hood of my own car, because I thought I had seen wisps of steam or smoke coming from under the hood.

We couldn't see a source of the problem, so while we were there, we added oil and water. I commented on how there was a lot of corrosion on the battery leads. Kathy said, "Well, we'll take your car in next." I agreed.

I went off to my figure drawing class and spent a miserable three hours drawing a skeleton while standing at an easel, because all of the chairs and stools were taken by an excess of people trying to add the class. Never mind that I was already registered. I discovered that the teacher was happy spending time talking to the pretty young girls but had nothing to say to the rest of us. By the time I got out of class, I was tired and cranky and limping due to low back pain. What a whiner.

Anyway, I got into my car, went and got gas, then stopped at the grocery store. I was anxious to get home. Feeling sorry for myself, I bought some ice cream and other frozen food. When I got back into the car, I turned the key and...nothing. No click. Dashboard lights but nothing started. Great, Kathy certainly couldn't come and help, because her car was in the shop! So, I called AAA and, after about an hour, they said they'd send someone over.

Kathy called the auto shop and asked if they would let her car go. They had replaced the battery, but were going to keep it overnight so that they could clean up some corrosion. (What is it with corrosion on our cars? We live in Northern California, for goodness' sake!) Our mechanic said Kathy could pick it up, and while we originally thought I'd get a jump and pick her up on the drive to the mechanic, it took so long for AAA to arrive that she had to call a cab. Calling a cab is weird in suburbia. It costs a fortune and takes a while. I've been spoiled by my time in the Big Metropolis.

AAA sent a battery charger guy instead of a tow truck. When jump starting my car didn't work, he crawled under the car with a hammer so he could hit the starter while I tried the ignition. Nothing. When he crawled back out, I saw that he had a big slime of oil on his jacket. I apologized and he said, "It's not a big deal; that's why it's a work jacket." I said, "I know, but it's always embarrassing when your car does that. I raised it to have better manners!"

He called for a tow and left. While I waited for that, I gathered up the frozen food and threw it away. It was dark when the huge flatbed tow truck showed up and loaded my car onboard. Because this had taken so long, the shop was past closing time, but the owner stayed there long enough to help get my car inside. On the drive home, Kathy and I stopped at Safeway where I re-bought the food I had to throw away an hour and a half earlier.

But, at least it made me stop whining about my shoulder and my back.

So, what I learned from this is that the next time Kathy says something along the lines of, "We should take your car in next," I need to respond carefully. As in, "Maybe next week," or, "Yes, at my leisure." Anything but simply agreeing. With my powers, it's just too easy to send the wrong thing into motion!

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