Car Repair

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I dread car repairs, because I don’t really don’t know much about cars. I felt a bit better when the mechanic identified the squeaks as brake pads needing to be replaced. We made an appointment for five days later. I knew there was a space in the service station office where people sometimes sat, but would there be room for me on the appointed day? Would I need to walk around in the shop or outside for a couple of hours? I arrived about ten minutes before the set time, parking before the bay I thought he might use. Before I shut off the engine, I saw the mechanic coming toward me. “You are the nine o’clock appointment, right? I’m ready for you right now.”

I sat down inside, having the bench area all to myself. There was a constant stream of people coming to the service desk. Suddenly I recognized a man’s voice and got up to speak to him. I never knew his real name, but I called him Woodman when telling people about him. He reduced logs to firewood beside the road I walked on to get to the creek. I said, “I’m the one who used to walk by every morning.”

“Oh! How are you? Yes, I remember you. Your hair is lots shorter now.” He did recognize me! We established the fact that we both are fine and said our farewells.

I enjoyed the warmth from the wood-burning stove next to the bench. The photo shows the stove and an inviting rocking chair opposite the bench.

A man came and stood before the stove, and I remarked that the warmth felt good. He said, “Yes, I’m gonna put some in my pockets for later.”

With that he put his hands in his pockets to open them a bit to catch warm air before he walked away.

I certainly did not expect to see someone I knew or to have a mini-conversation with a stranger. I was surprised that only an hour had passed before the cashier said my car was ready. I told myself I should be ashamed of dreading something that turned out to be delightful.

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Published by Anne Mehrling

I'm a retiree who loves to write about life in the mountains of North Carolina.

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15 thoughts on “Car Repair”

  1. I love it when something unexpected like that happens!
    I also love that you aren’t scared of having a simple convoy with a stranger. That’s how we often meet the best people! 🤗😉

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  5. That’s nice it worked out so well for you. Last Thursday morning at 8:00 a.m. I said “should I wait?” Good thing I didn’t as it ended up taking until almost 5:00 p.m. to put on the new car door handle and for the new key fob. Today it was the “fix” to the generator. Now that this problem is solved, hopefully, as it has a few issues still, I am ready to take on Fall and enjoy it. I haven’t even started my laying-in-provisions-for-Winter shopping yet and I signed up for a six-week painting class with assignments that starts in two weeks. I need a clone.

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  6. That was nice. I love little chat with strangers in waiting rooms or queues. Irish ate very good at it. There is no way you go to a pub alone and find no-one to chat to you ( and I mean genuine chat no hook up chat) .I miss this every time I go to italy where everybody is in a rush and presumptiously mind their own business.

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