My Subaru passed its 90,000 mile checkup at the dealer’s service center in January. In March, summer swooped in.
I turned on the AC. Tepid air.
A friend tells me it needs to be “recharged.” Probably low on freon, he says.
I call the dealer’s service center. How did you miss that? I ask.
(You should fix it for free!)
That’s not part of the 90,000-mile checkup.
(Color me pissed.)
I call my local auto repair shop, and the new manager sounds way too eager to get his hands on my car.
(Color me suspicious.)
My auto-savvy friend tells me to take it to a shop in Ranson where they still use their eyes and ears to figure out what’s wrong with a car.
I do.
A young man politely scrawls my concern on a pad.
I’ll call you when it’s done.
How much, you think?
$300 to $1,000. Depending, of course.
(Yep. It’s always “depending.” Of course!)
He calls the next day.
Your car is ready. $297.
(Color me relieved.)
I enter the small front office. The young man is behind the counter. An older man with greasy hands sits in a chair nearby. He’s the owner.
(Color me in a good mood.)
I’ve come to pick up my Mercedes. You repaired its AC.
What?! There’s no Mercedes here!
(Color them perplexed.)
We repaired a Subaru’s AC.
What?! I entrust my Mercedes to you and it comes back a Subaru?! You’re kiddin’, right?!
(Color them bewildered. And then tickled. They get it.)
God is good, the owner exclaims.
I brought my first car here 52 years ago, I tell him. It was an Opel Kadette.
As it turns out, the owner had three Opels himself back in the day. He tells me about each.
God is good.
(Color him Pentecostal, I think.)
Where do you usually service your car?
I tell him.
I wouldn’t take my wheelbarrow there!
Right. I now have my doubts, too.
What’s your name?
I tell him.
I know your son. And his wife. Good people. God is good.
We chat on for 15 minutes or so.
I say, thanks again for the good work. And the good price. I’ll see you again.
As we shake hands, he says: By the way, what do you think of Trump?
“God is good” is all I can manage.
(Color me cowardly.)
