Day 14
I got up with the sound of alarm at 6am. I didn’t sleep well. I woke up with red eyes. I didn’t feel safe. I’m not paranoid. There are probably things I sensed but
refused to see, to not freak out more than I already have. I’m just exhausted and is barely physically
functional. Anymore pressure would just
push me over the edge.
I walked to Ken Scales Automotive by 7:40am. I saw Mike the manager rolling the garage
door up. Upon the sight of him I knew I
had picked the right place to be. Seeing
the employee photos, I knew this is where I needed to be. Mike said Schmoldt is small and they wouldn’t
have parts there to begin with and that he wouldn’t recommend it.
Every staff who walked in were happy and said life is pretty
good. What a nice change. What a good place to be, where people are
happy and happy at their work. Mike is a
decent Christian man. I realized this
trip, I came cross really wonderful Christians and Catholics. I said to Mike, “ You will become an
endangered specie in a couple of decades.”
He shook his head in protest and unhappily responded, “You can’t say
that, there are a lot of good people out there and we will all still be around
in a couple of decades.”
Mike said he had A.D.H.D. and can’t read well. That in his twenties, he started this
industry with intention of owning his own place some day. He focused, worked hard to overcome his
special issues in his work. He is a real
positive person. He said it’s his faith
and belief that is the foundation of his solid common sense and decency and
outlook on life. He doesn’t worry much
because we will all die one day, any moment, just live in the now because you
don’t know when you’ll get hit by a bus or drop dead, can’t waste life that
way, be in the now. Mike said running a
garage is expensive these days with all the software that is in cars now. Now that he is in a position to do so, he
doesn’t know if he wants to.
Diagnosis on my car, a pipe cracked from being pressed
down by the second radiator non-manufacturing original radiator. Meaning whoever put the second radiator in
didn’t put it in a way that kept the pipe out of the way. So the pipe has been
squished and in friction this whole time in pressure and it burst finally. A leak was also detected in the water pump
system. Coolant has been leaking
slowly. This was a bigger problem than
the pipe. But the pipe problem help to
reveal this bigger problem, so all and all it was a blessing in disguise. This water pump leak could burn my motor in
the engine and destroy the engine. I was told my car would be finished today. I am glad I took a nap yesterday
afternoon. I didn’t get a good rest last
night. The drive requires prayer and
maybe a few naps on the highway shoulder.
I asked Mike about the car stalling when I stop at the
stop sign but ten minutes on the highway it’s okay. He said it’s the carbon leaks on the spark
plug. You can’t clean it. It is part of the aging residue of the
car. I asked about the radiator fan how
only one is running. Mike said that’s
how it is suppose to run. That my car
battery is at 60% and what wears out the battery is extreme heat or extreme
cold. The RPM is running fun and there is a screw on
a back tire that will need to be removed and possibly patched.
Eddie, another mechanic drove me back to the motel to let
me pack up my things and check out. He
showed me his first degree burn from the boss’ Harley who wanted two pounds
increased without getting off a running hot bike. He has a three inch blustery swell.
Sitting in the lobby I felt overwhelmed when all the
traffic of people rushed in. I felt
dizzy and tired sitting in the lobby.
When the traffic cleared out, I felt the air in the room and I was able
to breathe again. I filled my lungs with
light hearted gentle air. At the motel,
when the A/C isn’t running the room is stuffy and the rolling traffic is
disturbing. Here in the lobby, the
vending machine hums, the TV is on the stock channel and yet I still prefer to
be here surrounded by the bubble of good people.
Ben, another sweet heart mechanic here has a nine year
old son whose girlfriend’s dad owns Taco Delight. Ben got testicular cancer and survived. Ben is pretty young too. He said his father drank 24 bottles of beer a
day and smoked nonstop. Who was over
weight and died of a second heart attack.
That his dad never paid much attention to him and the treatment from his
dad really changed him. Mike also said
his dad wasn’t around much and when he was he wasn’t much of role model. He is surprised how he turned out okay and
attributes it all to his mom, relatives, and Christianity.
I did some organizing of my things while the car was
getting fixed. I unfolded my tent and
let it dry in the sun. I pulled out more
Indian food pouches and had Dal Malakani with Aloo Mutter, nutritional yeast
and nori powder. I had lunch with Ben
and Michael. Ben had a taco and Michael
had Chinese food. Michael is working on
my car.
People saw my powder and asked right away if I was
vegetarian. It turns out Mike’s daughter
is anemic. I said to him eventually she
will have to quit meat because she can’t process it as an anemic. The sooner she can figure out her digestive
allergies, the sooner she can get on with living her full life.
With the lack of rest I had last night I needed a
nap. I laid on the couch and napped for
two hours. I felt safe to go to sleep
here. By the time I parted with
everyone at 5pm, I felt like I was parting with family. They are a sweet honest bunch of people
here.
I drove straight home.
It was still in the 90’s at 10pm on the highway with the wind. It’s a good thing I am driving at night when
it is cooler. I got pulled over
somewhere near Sacramento for a headlight that went out. The young cop was very grumpy. Why was he so grumpy in a beautiful place
like this, full of farm lands, vast into the horizon. Here you can step out and look at the stars
in the sky. I finally made it home at
1am. I’m not going to unpack until
tomorrow.
