How I Broke My . . .

Okay – I’m taking up the challenge that Mama Kat has thrown down.  I love Mama Kat giving us these writing assignments – it’s almost like being back in school.

But, before I began I have to swear you all to secrecy.  Hubby can never find out.  Pinky-swear?!

::sigh:: Okay.  Here goes.  How I broke my car.  Yes, I said my car!  Quit giggling.  It’s quite serious.  Technically, I didn’t break it.  But it wouldn’t be fair to blame it on Man-Child cause he was only about 10 at the time.  And actually, it wasn’t even his fault.  I think it’s only fair to blame the car manufacturer.  Yes, definitely.  That’s whose fault it was.  But I can’t even send them a letter or anything complaining about their shoddy manufacturing because this is all a SECRET.

The boy and I were driving down a very busy road one day.  I had a lovely RAV4 (I LOVED that car – the only car I ever loved).  Anyway, the gear shift thing is on the console in between the two front seats.  Man-Child was just reaching that point in his life where he was all arms & legs. 

Then it happened.  One of his legs bumped the gearshift and knocked it into neutral while we were driving.  It probably would have been fine.  But I panicked.  Wouldn’t you?  Yes you would, don’t lie.

I panicked and tried to throw it back into drive.  But somehow instead threw it first into reverse, then back to neutral and finally into drive.

For the next few weeks it seemed fine.  I totally forgot about the incident.  A couple of times the car seemed to sound and act funny; but nothing serious.

Then one fine day, Father’s Day to be exact, we were heading to a local restaurant to celebrate what a wonderful dad hubby is and IT happened.  The car died. In the middle of the road.  Well, not actually in the middle – it died but we were able to coast into the restaurant parking lot.  To say Hubby was not a happy camper is a MAJOR understatement.

I still hadn’t made the connection. 

We went inside and had a tense dinner.  After which we called our friend who is also a mechanic.  He came and looked at it and told us it was a goner.  He gave us a ride home.

We had the car towed to the dealership – luckily they gave us something for it and we were able to get me a little car (with a not so little car payment!).  I don’t care for this car at all – but at least it drives.  I cried for my RAV4.  If I could have, we would have had a little ceremony before sending it off to the wherever dead cars go.

It actually took me a couple months to put it all together.  We killed the car in that one little incident.  But it’s the manufacturer’s fault for making the gear shift be able to move so easily like that.  He barely touched it with his leg.  And really, it shouldn’t be able to shift into reverse while the car is actually moving!!  That seems like a major flaw in their manufacturing process.  ::sigh:: I wish I could write them to complain – maybe they would send me a new RAV4. . .

Anyway – that’s how I broke my car.  And remember you are all sworn to SECRECY!  You pinky-swore!!