It was a cold and blistery Wednesday night. I was speed walking home from work. See, I had promised my roommate to sub on her flag football team. Never passing up an opportunity to be competitive and display my crazy mad football skills, I was very eager to get to the game.
I flew through the door, rushing upstairs to change into warmer clothes, grabbing every sweatshirt I had in site. I ran back down the stairs, arms loaded and fully prepared for an awesome night of flag football. I hopped into Sadie, my mind already focused on the vigorous game that laid in front of me.
Now, at this point in our newly defined relationship, I assumed Sadie would hold up her end of the agreement. She had plenty of gas, and thanks to our last (mis)adventure, a brand new battery. All she had to do was get me from point A to point B. Sounds like a fool proof plan, right?
Um, think again.... I was very, very wrong.
Quickly, I closed the door, put the key in the ignition, pushed in the clutch and brake, turned the key, and...... (I'll pause here for dramatic effect).......
Nada, nothing, not a one thing happened. This was the second time in two weeks that I became heartbroken by Sadie. I thought we had something special.
Two good things came out of this situation, however: 1). I at least was stranded in a parking spot outside of my house, and 2). I seem to be a seasoned pro at fixing my car.
So I call actual friend (from the previous story). Being the awesome actual friend that he is, he came to my rescue once again. I only feel slightly guilty that I stole him away from a social gathering at his house to help me out, but that is why he claims the lone title of actual friend in this saga.
Thinking we could just repeat what we did from the last time, actual friend tries to jump start my car by popping the clutch. Oh, but there is a twist.... I was facing the wrong direction on the hill, so we try to pop the clutch in reverse.
Just in case you were wondering, this trick does not work in reverse. We are now worse off than when we started, seeing as my car is now rolling backwards down the hill, dead as any car can be.
Through our numerous, and very professional tests (cough, cough), actual friend and I concluded that my alternator (alter-what?) is toast. Great. Sadie hates me. It's official.
The next day, we miraculously get Sadie to start with enough juice to get me to O'Riley's in Ballard. Thanks to O'Riley man and all his professional tests (for real this time), we do discover that my alternator has a PROBLEM and FAILED. No joke here, that is what the tests actually said.
So, one hundred and fifty bucks, and one slightly suffered pride later, I walk out of O'Riley's the proud owner of Alli Alternator (yes, I did name my alternator). Actual friend and I carefully take her back to his house so the real work can begin.
Somehow we manage to get broken alternator out, and put Alli into her rightful place. And by we, I really mean actual friend, but I like to take as much credit as I can here:
Broken Sadie
Happy Sadie with the new addition of Alli
Just to make we did everything right, I jump into the drivers seat and try to start Sadie. YES! Success! Sadie once again starts. I turn off the car, come stand by actual friend with a sense of pride written across my face. As I put my hands into my pockets in a gesture of satisfaction, I discover that I still have a bolt in my pocket....
Well shoot. More then likely that bolt is needed, so we (cough actual friend cough), begin the process of taking everything apart, and reassembling it all over again until... voila: Sadie is happy once again.
Now, I hesitate to leave this post stating the rekindled friendship that Sadie and I now share, especially because all agreements have gone straight out of the window for her. I hope now she is happy with a new alternator to match her new battery, but one can never be too sure. I do need to rely on Sadie to drive me half way across the country in a few months, so until then, I will brown nose and sweet talk Sadie as much as I needed to prevent anymore (mis)adventures from happening. Once I am safely on a plane to Ethiopia, she can act up as much as she once, especially since it will be the little brother who will get to deal with all of her (mis)adventures while I'm gone....
1 comment:
I like the alternator's name :) maybe a little bias ... Love the stories and your positive attitude- and the loyalty of 'actual' friend, what a stud, always has been, alway will be in my books !
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