Background: B’s truck, a 2008 Chevy with over 200,000 miles is about to go belly up. He tried to fix it himself. First a new battery, then a new alternator. But then, the trouble outgrew his own tenacity. I wrote a snippet which touched on the saga of Bertha but now I will elaborate. Aka Ramble. Aka get the swirling words out of my head.
That day not too long ago, I picked B up from the repair shop. He borrowed my car to get to the carpool lane while his truck was in queue for diagnosis. Turns out he needed a new crankshaft. Temple Hill did the deed. However, on the day he got his vehicle back, driving off the lot, it died again.
Doh! and Sacrebleu!! This meant more borrowing my car … which was A-Okay … seeing as I can work from home. #LuckyassthatIam #TakeNothingForGranted
Two or three days later, he got the truck back for good. Apparently a wire connecting the crankshaft to whatever a crankshaft attaches to was loose and or corrupted. Temple Hill fixed the wire which fixed the issue. Sort of …
Because the truck coded again. Ya see the computer on the vehicle sends off error codes. No need for mechanical aptitude mi amigos. Instead, we need people who can read computer codes and follow instructions. Ain’t this amazing. And no that is NOT sarcasm. Though I’m a bit sad the what my daddy did for a living is a lost art. Ah the good ole days of shady tree mechanics. Brains were the computers. But I digress. Onward through the fog.
Okay, now to explain the title of this tale. B is looking for a vehicle but until he finds the perfect specimen, he is keeping Bertha going come hell or high water. He did not take her back for round three. Twice was enuf doncha think? Part of keeping her going is adding oil after each code. And only the best for Bertha – Royal Purple 5 W 30. He asked Lulu and me to pick up a couple of quarts, when we were last at Wally World. The conversation went like this …
Me: Oh good, they have it.
Lulu: Not 5 W 30, that’s 20.
Me: Well, I am gonna ask if they have any in the shop where they do the oil changes.
We walk around the corner to a nice young gentleman wearing more earrings than I presently own. (Not judging, just observation).
Me: Do you have any Royal Purple 5 W 30 in the back, only 20 is out on the shelf.
Clerk: Well that’s the best oil. It’s expensive too. Not a big seller at this store so we only have it once in a while.
Lulu: Great! more perpetuating the stereotype that we live in da hood.
Why I never! Or I outta! Peeps around here … well some are millionaires but then again I guess millionaires aren’t at Wally World asking for a quart or two of Royal Purple. They’re on their yachts drinking champagne and eating caviar.
As always, more to come.
J-Dub's Grin and Bear It 