Mustang Linda

While in college at the age of 21, I owned a gold Mustang. It eventually developed body damage caused so many Ohio winters with salt on the roads. A section by the rear door simply rusted through. So, not having anything better to do, I decided to fix it. "Linda's Body Work Inc." I just looked up directions, bought the fiberglass, paint and adherent, then went to work. I clearly recall working on it in the parking lot outside my apartment, feeling so proud of myself. When I later showed my Dad my now "scar-less" car, he just looked at me, speechless. I'm not sure he ever actually believed I did it myself. But I did.

A couple years later, my battery went dead. You know batteries, those complicated boxes that are buried amongst the masses of technical, well... "things" under a car hood. Now, back in the early 70's in pre-emissions days, batteries could still actually be seen under the hood, and owners could fix them. So once again I looked up instructions, and did it myself. I recall a roommate's boyfriend walked by and stopped while I worked, speechless that this female would even try it. Car worked great after that. And that guy started to be nicer to me too. Treated me with new respect.

I had a flat tire one day during a trip to Ohio. Stopped the car, got out my jack and began to change the tire. Moments later a man stopped to help me. "No thanks, I'm fine." But his maleness couldn't let it go, so I finally let him finish. He'd have been crushed otherwise. Men.

Today I went out to help Sam install new wiper blades and add wiper fluid to his empty tank. He opened the hood, found the tank, poured the fluid. I watched. And on the blades, well, they're still sitting on the hood. Have been for over an hour. I can't make out the instructions and neither can he.

Of all the listed repairs, the blades surely have to be the easiest fix. Criminy. I'm losing it. But to be honest, no way could I still do auto body repairs, install a battery, or change a tire. Some things just have to go by the wayside. That I can still cook noodles will have to be enough.

Man, I loved that Mustang.