On Oil Changes...

So last week I went to get an oil change (I’m not saying where in this blog, so don’t ask), and when I took off, I received a phone call about a minute later saying that the mechanic had forgotten to put the oil cap back on.  I head back, hear the vehicle make a truly awful noise, check the gauges, and knew that they had not forgotten to put the oil cap back on.  They’d forgotten to put any oil back in the vehicle.

The vehicle died in the middle of a traffic intersection, and though they were able to tow it back to the shop, it was too late for the engine.  It was totally killed.

The reason I’m not calling out the company who did this is that this was entirely the fault of one mechanic, who was suspended as soon as they found out what he did and has likely been fired by now (this is not something I asked for; it was entirely their decision.)  The company has been very good to me since this mechanic’s negligence.  They’ve paid for a rental, we’re working on a settlement now, and they’re doing as much as they can to make this right.  I’ve been very impressed by their willingness to take responsibility.

Still, I won’t lie and say that this has been an easy week.  Being without a car is a real kick in the nuts, and being a fulltime student living entirely off of school loans is no picnic.  I’ve had to face some ugly truths, the largest one being that I’ve never bought a car of my own before.  I’ve always had hand-me-downs from my folks, and for once, they don’t have an extra one lying around.  On top of being broke, I’m also clueless, and that’s a bad combination when you’re just passing your mid-twenties.

The second realization was that I want to get out of school and onto a career… right now.  I was already staying over an hour after school ended for practice, but ever since Friday, I’ve decided that I’m going to be practicing at home every day, at least an extra hour.  And weekends, five hours minimum.  I will have no life, no energy, and no soul by the time I reach my qualifiers, but dang it, I will have endurance like none other on that machine by the time this is over.

I do have to say a word about the rental:  the Yaris is not a bad little car.  Gas is great, the radio is amazing, the acceleration is awesome, and the seats are amazingly comfortable.  The only real problem I have with driving it is the placement of the rearview mirror.  I’m used to having that mirror above eye level, and this one is set parallel with my eyeballs.  It leaves me with the irksome feeling that my sight has been obstructed and that does not comfort me on the road.  Otherwise, I have no complaint with the vehicle.

And that is the story of my life right now.  I would have talked about something more interesting (to me) but after my late post last week, I felt I owed some sort of explanation for procrastinating and breaking my own self-imposed deadline.  I’ve had a lot on my mind.  I hope things are saner.  And why shouldn’t I be?  My free newspaper’s astrology chart promised a great personal victory this coming week, so that has to mean that—yeah, I’m probably screwed.