Whimfield

Passing Grade

Posted on 31. Jul, 2008 by Laura-Jane - Whimfield in Personal

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A car story

Our one mode of transport is a 1982 diesel Toyota Landcruiser, which needed brake-work so badly that when one jammed the aptly-named brake pedal the car would utter a terrible metal-on-metal shudder and would eventually grind itself to a stop (provided that one began braking precisely one block away from any impediments). Once we finally came to a stop, onlookers would look quizzically and disapprovingly in our direction, as if to say, “What is that noise, and can’t you get that fixed? I mean–really.”

Cameron has the know-how and tools to perform said brake work; in fact, he has performed engine surgery in numerous compromising positions, such as the one pictured below.

As you may know, in December of 2007, we drove for 28 days (from BC to PEI), towing everything we owned behind us in a trailer. This photo was taken in the middle of our trip: in a Zellers parking lot in Ottawa, Ontario. It was minus 19 degrees Celsius, and here is Cameron under the hood with the contents of his little red toolbox splayed out on the frozen pavement. Also notice the industrial-sized red tool case in the back of the trailer.

Aah, loved that trip (in retrospect only). So, yes, Cameron’s got the skills to repair our brakes–it’s just that we hadn’t made the time to actually do the work.

Indeed, our brakes were in desperate need of tender loving care, which is terrible and needed to be remedied; but we were further pushed to make time to do the work because our auto insurance was about to expire, and we still had to have the car inspected by a PEI mechanic before we could re-insure it.

Cameron took a day to dismantle the brakes and pry 26-year-old rusted bolts off various parts of the car. We then walked in to town to pick up the requisite car parts.

***

Reason #9782 why we love this place:

Us: “Thank you for the auto parts, Mr. Auto Parts Store guy! Goodbye!”

Mr. Auto Parts Store Guy: “You’re not walking home with those in that back-pack, are you?”

Us: “Well, yes, but we’ll be fine!”

Mr. Auto Parts Store Guy: “Don’t be fools! Let me give you a ride home!”

And so he did.

Reason #9783:

The only other time we walked in to town for car parts, we ran in to some friends, who gave us a much-appreciated ride home. (Although they may have felt obliged to offer us the ride do to my profuse facial sweating resulting from the variety of tools I had strapped on my back.)

Reason  #9784:

Us: “Thank you very much for bringing our package right to the door, Mr. Mailman! We do appreciate it!”

Mr. Mailman: “No problem. Plus, I had to apologize: I saw you walking in to town the other day, but my truck was full and I didn’t have any room. I do apologize.”

Us: “Aww, Mr. Mailman! We love you.”

***

Once we had all requisite car parts (and after much screwing and wrenching and pumping and bolting), the car is up to snuff. This morning, in the nick of time because our insurance was to expire on Monday, we passed our inspection.

As the lady at the motor vehicle wicket told us, we’re “official Islanders now”; I don’t know about that, but I sure am glad to get this one ticked of our ever-growing to-do list.

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