Blew a Seal

Friday, August 20, 1999
One year ago: Rotation
Two years ago: We Choose Our Friends

(Written Monday morning) I came home from work and stopped at my local Texaco station, to fill up and ask them to check the fluids. I was ready for this weekend's expedition! Jack and his daughter H--- were riding the Greyhound bus from Bellingham.

Jack called me when they were entering downtown, and I drove to the station to pick them up. Because of the one-way streets in that neighborhood, I had to circle around several times before seeing Jack on the sidewalk, waving me down.

We hit the highway straight away, heading east. We stopped for a quick dinner at Issaquah. They've assembled a faux old-time village there; old buildings were moved and put together to make an outdoor mall. full of gifty stores and shoppes. We had barbecue (of course), sitting outside at picnic tables under the trees. I didn't see any evidence of a smoker, but the shredded pork and shredded chicken sandwiches were tasty.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *    *

We drove off into the dusk, heading up and over the pass. Jack read aloud from the Hobbit; he and H--- are almost done. They'd been taking turns reading aloud, the last time I was visiting, but H--- didn't read out loud in the car. She was listening, though.

As we got closer to the top of the pass, my car (it has an automatic transmission) started driving rather oddly. I worried, but hoped it was just because I don't normally climb hills of that size.

We pulled off the highway at Ellensburg, so Jack could get coffee and we could switch off on the driving. But as I slowed down on the exit ramp, it became clear that there was something very wrong. The car was very reluctant to shift! We pulled up to the pumps, I popped the hood, and Jack checked the transmission fluid. It was dry! Arrgh! Did I neglect to specifically ask the texaco guy to check that?? We went into the mini-mart and bought three quarts of fluid, and poured two of them in. They seemed to run right out the bottom! It was clear that the car was going no further tonight. There was probably a busted line or a broken seal.

I felt guilty, worried, and humiliated. Guilty -- for messing up the trip. Worried -- where would we sleep? how would we get to Jacks' parents' place? We were on a deadline because Jack had to get back to Bellingham Monday morning for a juvenile court hearing for his older daughter A----. Humiliated -- How can I be so lame, to not keep my car up to snuff? We drove over the mountain because it's a bit shorter, but I should have said I'd rather take the long way. I'll bet my car could have made it! I think it was the stress of driving the pass that made a questionable seal or line give way.

Jack called his father and filled him in. Jack's father suggested we call K--- and P---, family friends of theirs who live in Ellensburg. We reached them, asking about transmission shops and a motel. They wouldn't hear of us staying in a motel; K---- (a retired state trooper) drove right over and took us back to their place. H--- would sleep in their spare room; Jack and I would sleep in their motor home. They had ideas about what to do with my car the next morning, also.

The motor home was large and new, and very fancy as these things go, with wooden cabinets and a full-size bed with real mattress. Jack and I walked around the suburban cul-de-sac where it was parked, enjoying the moonlight while Jack smoked a small cigar. He sat on the pullout steps at the door of the motorhome, while I was wandering around the driveway. As I passed, he reached out for my hand and pulled me to him for a big hug. A sweet moment to end a trying evening!

*     *     *     *     *     *     *    *

While we were waiting at the truckstop for K--- to come pick us up, I remembered this joke. I knew I wanted to include it here, even though Jack didn't think it was so funny (I probably didn't tell it very well).

I found several versions of the joke, some of them having to do with Eskimos and snowmobiles. These are only moderately humorous. Featuring a penguin puts the joke in the "talking animal" category, which I think is funnier. I found this version, which lived up to my memory of it.

So there's this penguin driving across the Nullarbor Plain (that's in Australia) and it's a really hot day - and that's bad news for a penguin. So, the penguin is driving and saying "Sheesh" a lot and wiping his brow with his flipper then the car starts acting up! Bumpity bumpity bump... "Oh great", thinks the penguin.

To his relief, there is a service station not too far further along. He drives in, parks his car, hops out and waddles over to the mechanic. "Can you have a look at my car?" says the penguin, "it's making a funny sound." "Sure" says the mechanic. "Sheesh," thinks the penguin. "It's so hot! I think I'll go inside to the air conditioning."

So he waddles over and goes inside. He mooches around, flicking through magazines, killing time. He decides he'll buy an ice cream to help him cool down. Then he goes back out to the car. "Sheesh," he says as he waddles back over the tarmac. "It's really hot." He's making a real mess of the ice cream, on account of it being so hot and him being a penguin and only being able to hold it with his flipper. He spills more of it over himself than he gets in his mouth.

He gets back to the car and comes up to the mechanic who's leaning over the engine. The mechanic looks up at him and says "Hmm. Looks like you've blown a seal." "Oh no," laughs the penguin, "That's only ice cream."

Prev | BOD Index | Home | Mail | Next