The Pony's car battery was dead. Deader than dead. Not merely dead. Really most sincerely dead. It was probably several days that the passenger door had been incompletely closed from when The Pony last carried in groceries.
Farmer H left home in a fit of pique to drive to town and jump the battery. Muttering that he'd have to find some jumper cables. AS IF he doesn't carry them in SilverRedO, as he's carried jumper cables in his vehicle ever since I met him 39 years ago. Of course I warned The Pony of his mood.
When Farmer H wasn't back within 90 minutes, I called The Pony to see if there was an issue.
"Dad left about 10 minutes ago. He was mad when he got here, but just kind of grumpy when he left. We got it jumped, and drove it around for a while. It would have been fine if he'd listened to me. I TOLD him it was all the way dead. But he jumped it, and then said it was okay and I could turn it off. But it was dead again. After he let it go longer, then we drove around for it to charge up. He was trying to say it was the alternator gone bad at first, not the battery. I'm supposed to let it run for a half hour in the driveway. I have a timer so I remember to shut it off."
Farmer H came home and went to bed.
The next morning, Farmer H acted like nothing happened. Like he was not a big ol' meany for NO REASON, and so begrudging to assist his own blood family when a need arises.
"The Pony is going to the pharmacy over in Sis-Town around 9:00 when they open. Then getting gas on the way home, hoping the car will still start after gas."
"If it starts at all this morning. If the battery was all the way dead, I'll have to get a new one. I guess I could do that on my way home tonight. Better not shut it off at the pharmacy! And it's okay to leave the car running when pumping gas."
"WHAT? It won't explode? I was always taught to turn off the engine when getting gas. I'm pretty sure there used to be signs saying so!"
"People used to let their cars idle all the time when they got gas. It'll be fine."
I passed that info on to The Pony during a wake-up call at 7:00. Turns out The Pony decided not to get gas, but went on home after picking up meds at the drive-thru. It seems like the battery is charged now. Thanks to a hateful begrudging Farmer H!
10 comments:
I'm glad the battery is now charged, I didn't think it was possible with a deader than dead battery, but I know nothing about cars. I do remember in the past drivers were told or taught to turn the motor off while filling the tank. And no smoking laws were also in place because of the fumes.
River,
That's what Farmer H thought, too. This battery is less than a year old. Not sure if that has anything to do with it. But The Pony was sure that car door had been ajar for several days.
You'd think a spark from the engine while getting gas could explode the fumes, so I'm surprised Farmer H said it was fine to leave it running. I guess the same thing could happen when starting the car again AFTER getting the gas.
I don't leave my engine running at the pump. Those signs are there because something happened that made them think we needed that precaution. That is my theory after having to make signs about things that were common sense. We also have jumper cables on board all the time. Also, the necessary tolls for unlocking a car. I can't tell you how many times he has helped people get into their vehicles in various parking lots at medical facilities. Seems our generation locks themselves out of their vehicle a lot.
Only if there s actual gas leakage to give off fumes. Otherwise the fumes dissipate fairly quickly once the pump is shut off and the cap back on the tank.
Kathy,
We have learned that trusting people to do the right thing is risky! So we lock our cars!
River,
Good to know!
Wouldn't Farmer H be sad if he stopped getting little calls like this to help out the pony though? Maybe you can grab the Pony a booster thingy just incase! I once came back from a week away in winter and my car was dead - but we have a roadside car service so they boosted me!
jj,
Yes! Farmer H was devastated when Genius moved away for college. And again when The Pony went off to Oklahoma. He would definitely be sad if he wasn't needed anymore.
The Pony has AAA, as an add-on to our policy. Genius was on it, too, except he can't use it in Pennsylvania. I guess there's another branch of it in different states. Anyhoo... as a last resort, The Pony could have called AAA to come and jump the battery. You never know how long it will take, though.
There are only a couple of businesses around here who contract with AAA, and one of them put SilverRedO in a ditch during the big snow a couple years ago, after the guy didn't do something right when initially pulling it out of the ditch. When it slid back in, it hit a tree, and did over a $1000 in damages. We were stuck with that on our insurance.
Oh, 1k in damages, ugh! Yes, over here they usually give you a wide window of time. In the winter, don't even think about a quick visit.
jj,
It was the day I was getting released from the hospital during THE VIRUS, after a big snowstorm the night before. Farmer H was mad because he didn't think the guy had the right equipment to begin with. Then something broke midway through, and sent SilverRedO crashing into a tree which Farmer H had luckily missed on his own.
The towing crash was actually a day later. Farmer H had left SilverRedO in the ditch, and caught a ride home with a neighbor. He brought A-Cad to pick me up, and he and The Pony also got off in a ditch with that car! Got towed out and picked me up. The next day, he tried to retrieve SilverRedO.
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