Soccer mom to the rescue

[shoemakersp]

	So I head home from the momentous occasion of the first time I am able to
drive my battered '84 coupe GT to work after owning the car for more than a
year.  It had been a long  and at times, frustrating ride that had
temporarily bore fruit.  She was doing great as I was settling into all of
the creaks and groans that I would become accustomed to shortly.  I decided
to stop at the supermarket about a half mile from my house and went in to
grab a few things.  When I came out and turned the key I got that gut
wrenching click.  After a quick minute of trouble-shooting, some wire
jiggling and a phone call sanity check, it was determined that the starter
had gotten tired of being the only mechanical part that was original to the
car.
	I am sure we have all BTDT.  It is obvious that I needed a little pusharoo
and I would be on my way.  I figured that it should be no problem to solicit
help in this busy parking lot.  Even though I hate asking people for help
(probably why I started working on my own cars to begin with).  So standing
by the car I observe as the masses seem polarized away from me.  I decided
that I needed to get the show started by pushing the car out into the lane.
I pushed the car out and got it lined up on the all too level parking lot
lane, still no-one.  So I start to push on my own and attempt to jump in, no
go.  It is at this point that the arch nemesis of the enthusiast driver
pulls up.  The dreaded soccer mom with her Grand Caravan in full effect.
She asks if I need help and then informs the group of 12 year old girls with
her that they are helping me.  At this point I think someone else may have
jumped back there as I had to jump in as fast as I could since the car began
to lunge forward.  I stuck it in gear and it fired right off.
	The moral of the story is clear and I have learned my lesson.  As much as I
hope that people do not judge me by my currently multi-colored vehicle I
will try not to judge the kindness of strangers by the vehicular stereotype
they fit.
-Sean Shoemaker

'84 CGT (waiting on starter)
'87 5kTQ (waiting on clutch)
'01 Dodge Dakota (waiting on a new owner and a day when it is no longer the
fall back crutch)