On Tuesday my seventeen year old truck threw a thumping, thudding, screeching fit. And then promptly broke down claiming that the temperature in the engine was too high and that I needed to check the gauges. After turning the car off and listening to the engine continue to rattle and thud against the hood, I called CAA to tow me for the second time this month .
My new BFFs. (Photo Credit: cleanaircommute.ca)
Upon arriving at the garage I had the following conversation with my mechanics.
Kindly Mechanic- “We couldn’t find anything wrong with your car, it sat and ran for half an hour in the loading dock and the guys didn’t find any parts that were broken. The only thing is the blower is nearing the end of its life.”
The Great Unwashed – “But the blower isn’t broken.”
Kindly Mechanic- “No.”
The Great Unwashed- “That’s marvelous! And not remotely what I was expecting to hear!”
Kindly Mechanic –“Unwashed* if your car was a person, they’d be a ninety-six year old who needs a new hip, has a bad back and the kind of wheezy, rasping cough that makes you think they’re going to keel over and die at any minute.”
The Great Unwashed- “Are you trying to tell me to take my car to aqua-fit and feed it dinner at four pm?”
My truck would love blowing bubbles in the water. (Photo Credit: bangory.org)
Kindly Mechanic- “No. That’s not the message.”
Then the mechanic handed me my keys and directed me out of a tight parking spot that a person with any semblance of spatial reasoning could have navigated by themselves but of course I wasn’t able to and I happily drove away with the blower turned off. He didn’t elaborate further but I think I got the message; I’ve started keeping a stash of stewed prunes and fish oil in my car in case my truck feels backed up or like its paint job is a little dry.
*What with having a geriatric vehicle, my mechanics know me pretty well so I insist they drop the “Great” from my name.
This post was brought to you by the good people at my local garage, they are experts at fixing flap thingies, large thumping noises and ping-ping-squeak sounds. They are also a remarkably patient group of people. I highly recommend their services.
The Great Unwashed 
as a 96 year old (almost) I identify with your car, just leave me alone and I hate aqua fit
I’d probably hate pools and aqua fit too if I had spent as much time in the water as you did with all your grand-girls.
This is one of my favourite posts. I keep coming back to read it and laugh again.
Mom
Thank you, my mechanics keep coming back to it too; they use it to remind me to buy a new car.
Too funny Sarah… anyone with a car will able to relate to this one… and I look forward to your future one about buying a new used car…. I’m sure it will be just as funny!