For me, the most important two things about a car are cup holder placement and if it starts and runs.  I know to get the oil changed when the maintenance required light comes on and to buy new tires when Jim Brawner says it’s time.  Running out of gas is embarrassing so I try to keep the red bar at the quarter of a tank line and I like a clean car.  Basic accessories and information is all I need.

My friend Gloria can take a car apart and put it back together again. She knows everything from engine overhaul to how to get sticky stuff off the windshield. If your knowledge is limited it’s good to have friends who are smart.  I do keep a AAA membership current for “just in case”.  I think I’ve only had to call them once in 20 years because I locked the keys in the car.  I almost had to give them another call the other day.

The orange vested guy at Home Depot had put everything in my car in the loading area drive through when I turned the key and nothing happened.  Great!  There I sat in the middle of the driveway in my clean car with a full tank of gas and perfect cup holder placement.  No indicator lights had been on, but the car wouldn’t start.  

I went back inside explaining my car was dead and saying I was sorry for blocking everyone. “No problem,” another orange vest guy said.  “They can just pull on the outside of the drive through. I’ll go get the jumper box.” 

“Easy for you to say,” I thought.  “Just wait until one of those construction type guys come through with a big truck and trailer.”  I turned to walk outside to wait for the jumper box and sure enough, here came the big truck and trailer squeezing inches by my car to load sacks of concrete.

A guy who looked like one of the contestants on the Tough Guy Competition TV show climbed of his truck frowning, so I quickly apologized explaining my car wouldn’t start as I fumbled around trying to pop the hood like I knew what I was doing.  “The Home Depot guy went to get a jumper box,” I told him.

He lumbered over in his tank top and pushed a lever and raise the hood.  Without changing expression he said, “I have jumper cables when the box doesn’t work,” and went on to load 40 pound sacks of concrete like 4 pound sacks of sugar.

The Home Depot guy brought out a little box, attached it to the battery and told me to give it a try.  Nothing.  “Humm,” he said.  “It always works for the lawn mowers.”  

Did he really try to jump my car with something used on lawn mowers? That would make Gloria smile.

Tough Guy muscle shirt didn’t say a word as he got out the jumper cables and hooked them up.  “OK,” he said, still not changing his expression.  The Silverado big truck worked.  “Now,” he added, “head to O’reilly and get a new battery.  They’ll install it for you.”  

He went back to loading concrete.  Who needs AAA?