 The Jones kid, Randy, was out in the Mule Barn parking lot with the
hood up on his car. He was staring down into it as a first-time
parachutist would look out the airplane door. You never quite know
for sure what lies ahead."Looks like Randy's got problems," said
Steve.
"Let's have a look," said Dud.
So coffee was left to get cold and the entire Supreme Court of
All Things Mechanical -- Steve, Dud, Doc, Herb and Dewey -- trooped
out to see what was going on.
They formed a powerful semicircle of wisdom around the youth and
his engine as their folded arms and facial expressions said, "It's
OK, Kid. We're here."
Dewey spoke first. "Having trouble, Randy?"
"Won't start."
Doc, who has the most initials after his name, said, "Give it a
try."
Randy ground the engine, but it wouldn't kick over.
"Stop! Stop!" Doc yelled. "Don't want to flood it."
All Doc knows about flooding is that the animals went on board,
two by two.
[to top of second
column] |
"Randy, I think it's the solenoid," said Steve, looking wise.
"Doesn't have one, Steve," Randy said.
"Sure it does. All cars have solenoids."
"Not the new ones. Haven't made solenoids in years."
Steve's expression said, "Young punks, what do they know?" But
his voice said, "Well, what do you know about that?"
"Need a jump?" Dewey asked.
"Got plenty of spark," Randy said.
Randy looked at the older men and then bent to the engine and
smiled. His voice came floating up over the radiator. "Might be the
junction fibrillator. Or it could be a malfunction of the Johnson
switch. If I rerun the wire from the organ housing to the pump
bypass, that might get it done."
When Randy looked up, all the men had gone back in for coffee. He
smiled and called Triple A on his cellphone.
[Text from file received from Slim Randles]
Brought to you by the new book "Home Country." Read a free
sample at www.slimrandles.com. |
