BATTERY NOT INCLUDED

As we sat in my Toyota Prius, Henry, Mom’s boy toy marveled at the simplicity and economy of the car. We were heading to mom’s house and were going to do a few things that were needed as mom was recuperating in the hospital.

Impressed by the gauges that told the driver everything he needed to know, Henry kept feeding me questions and I kept answering as we drove along. The drive back to the hospital was no different as Henry continued his bombardment of questions.

Parking in the hospital parking lot, we got out of the car and I noticed the engine although shut down, the car was indicating some kind of pinging sound or bell that was trying to tell me something. So I got back into the car, restarted it and shut down again. Still the little warning was going off, so I tried once again. By now a driving cold rain and wind was making itself felt, running through my bones and all I wanted to do was get dry and warm. I thought I didn’t hear it warning anymore so figured whatever was the problem corrected itself somehow, and ran off to the shelter of the hospital.

After my visit with mom, I walked out of the hospital into the driving rain and cold wind once again. It was about 3:30 pm and the overcast day seemed even more cold and dreary than before. All I could think about was getting home, sitting in my chair and maybe watching a ballgame while I waited for TLW (The Little Woman) to return home form work so we could have a drink and either go out to dinner or eat in.

Reaching the car, I hear the sound of the pinging again and realize I may be in trouble! I get in and try to start the car and it won’t start, the indicators are going off and the lights flickering and bells ringing with little icons that are flashing! I try once more and nothing. Silence. Dead still. There is no power in my Japanese import. It is getting back at me for racist jokes I made many years ago on December 7^th.

I have to get out my wallet, look for my AAA card and call. They respond and send out a tow, telling me they will have someone there by 4:15. I get a second call telling me who will be coming. A third call comes from my tow truck telling me to be sure to pop my hood, and to look out for him.

Within a half hour of my initial call, the tow comes, and the guy walks over to the car with a charger and plugs into my battery and I start it and we are off and running. He asks me if the battery is the original and I say I don’t know since I purchased the car used a few years ago. I tell him my expert mechanic at home: TLW has been warning me that it is the starter, and the tow guy, obviously a mechanic himself says: “No, tell your wife it is the battery!”

I never changed the starter because I didn’t think it was, I though it was the way I was shutting down the engine since this happened twice before, and the starter was always immediate and strong.

As I drive away from the hospital, a little sadness overcomes me, as I think about TLW: she is losing her edge!