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When Your Car Breaks Down, Comparing the Experience in 1982 vs 2021
JY recently bought a Harley and we’ve been enjoying the heck out of it doing some day trips, as well as a road trip to visit family in UT for July 4th. Two weeks ago my boss invited us to his cabin in the local mountains. We left Saturday, meeting them in the afternoon. We had a few drinks on the deck and some great BBQ. We were up early Sunday morning with the plan to head further up the mountain, have breakfast at Big Bear Lake, then head home taking the long way.
As we headed into town, about 50 yards from a gas station, JY got a flat. (Proving once again that if JY fell out of a window, he’d go up. The previous miles were on a road that was windy, two-lane, and pulling over would have been a tad treacherous.)
1982: Damn. We have a flat. I’m going to start talking to strangers and see if they know anyone who can fix it.
2021: I’m coming up with lots of repair places on my phone. I’ll start calling.
1982: I’m going to hike to that phone booth, check the yellow pages, and see if anyone answers.
2021: I’m calling everyone that lists “auto repair”; no one is answering.
1982: What the hell are we going to do? I need to be at work tomorrow!
2021: Worse case, we’ll get an Uber to Jose and Anthony’s cabin, spend the night, and find someone who can fix it tomorrow.
1982: There’s a bar across the street.
2021: There’s a brewery across the street. Let’s go over there and charge our phones.
1982:How much cash do you have? What if we have to spend the night? We just spent all our money on beer.
2021: Order another round, and a round for this nice couple who have befriended us.
1982: Should we call mom? No point in calling dad. He won’t care and won’t know what to do.
2021: Hmmm. Maybe it’s time to call son #2. He’s the only one local … do you think he can get the bike on his truck?
1982: Do you have AAA? Answer: What’s AAA?
2021: Screw it. Let’s call AAA and have them send a tow truck.
And that’s the saga of “the $500 bolt”. We got the motorcycle down the mountain to a Harley dealership via a flat bed. JY and I riding in the cab with James. James has a baby on the way in September and is studying to be a respiratory therapist.
He was tipped well.
Published in General
My version?
1982: Yeah! This is the year I graduate from college! Look out world!
2021: Crap. The youngest has one more year of high school? I’m too old for this sh**.
Excellent!
I hate being old. I hate it with the heat of a thousand suns. But my gratitude of no longer having kids in high school or college outweighs it.
My mother announced the arrival of baby #6 on her 40th BD. (total buzzkill) At the baby’s 40th BD, he announced that his baby #4 was on the way. (NOT a buzzkill, I was old enough to drink) He recently called me. We were on the phone for an hour. To sum up: he’s too old for this sh**.
I like being old. I like it with the warmth of, well, a hundred suns. I’m grateful for the fact that I didn’t die young, like some of the folks I knew in high school and college did, like my first wife did.
Had dinner with a 40-year friend on Saturday, met his young new lady friend. Sitting in the restaurant over dessert, it was odd thinking that we have known each other longer than she has been alive and wondering to myself which of us would go first. Ain’t gonna be me, not if I can help it!
Be grateful for old age.
Well put.
when did it become ‘weird’ or ‘too dangerous’ to talk to strangers?
Never has been for me. Talking to strangers is my favorite part of being a grownup. That and snacking between meals.