It's ALIIIIIIIVVVE!!

BEHOLD!! Franklinstein LIIIIIIVVVES!!

An apparent misdiagnosis this morning about my truck--with the temp needle breaking off over on the hot end, I managed to zip into a gas station close to work and pick up a jug of antifreeze, figuring I just needed some juice in it. When I popped the hood, I spied some coolant that had sprayed around over by the heater hoses, and just assumed I had a hose go south on me, and it was too hot to add any coolant anyway, so I just closed him back up and went on to work. (But before I closed the hood, I also received another surprise in the form of a twelve-hole dirt dauber nest right under the carb, with a very angry looking dirt dauber on top of it. Eek!) I debated whether to take it on over to the Ford place, but the LAST thing I needed now was A) ANOTHER vehicle stuck in the shop, and 2) ANOTHER bill. I figured I would fill it up at lunchtime with some water and glycol and try to make it all the way back home.

Before we go on, first a word for all of you who drive vehicles on the margins of reliability--always carry a few essentials with you: a fire extinguisher, a jug of antifreeze/water mixture, rope, and a large wooden wedge for placing behind the tires.

Anyway, I just went out during lunch to the parking deck and opened up the radiator, which was as dry and hollow as Strom Thurmond. Hmm. I drove thirty some miles with no coolant. And probably have been driving for even more, seeing as how I ignore the gauges as much as possible. Darned thing's built like an anvil! Poured my jug in and set off to find a water spigot. (And yes, I do think it rather odd that I had enough confidence that I could find a handy water tap within walking distance, but hey, I'm an optimist.)

Rode down on the elevator and went to the security office, ducked my head in and asked the guard if there was a place I could get water close by, and he led me all the way to the door next to his where the janitor's room was.

(Yes, parking decks have janitors. Who do you think empties the ashtrays and trashcans? Who mops disgusting things out of the elevators after City Stages? Who do you think washes the glass on the ticket booth? JANITORS, my friends, that's who! And who do you think just happened to have a slop sink with the water running and ready? That's right! See? It pays to be an optimist.)

I filled up and told the lady I might need to come back and get some more, and she said that would be just fine and she even gave me a rag to take with me. Filled it up, cranked it, put it in Neutral (after first employing my handy wood wedge emergency brake--it does have real emergency brakes, but I trust that hunk of oak a bit more) and took a look--no leaks visible, temp gauge normal. I finished filling the radiator and needed a bit more, so did the elevator trip again and topped it off. Good as new! (If your definition of new includes things which, if they were a people, would be old enough to legally buy liquor in all fifty states.)

So, a few more miles to go before Franklin is ready to cash out.

And the real miracle is that I managed to do all this without getting ANY dirt or grease on my nice white dress shirt!
posted by Terry at 1:45:00 PM