I paid the mechanic for his visit and watched helplessly as he wrapped up his stuff and mounted his bike to leave.
Just as he was about to leave the parking space, I realised that I had not seen him get under the car. Mechanics have to get under the car at least once. It’s a customer satisfaction thing. Like, when you go to a doctor, you feel satisfied when they listen to your problems, nod with sympathy, and give you some blue, pink, and yellow pills.
This guy wasn’t getting away without getting under the car. And in any case, you have to get under the car to check the fuel pump. His shady voltmeter may have declared that the circuit was good, but he should have checked the fuel pump wires as well.
I shouted, “Wait, wait!”
He stopped and looked behind.
“Did you look under the car in the fuel pump area?”
“No sir not needed. All circuit good.”
“No no. Please check the fuel pump. Get under the car and check the fuel pump wires… Fuel pump wires. Please check if they are cut.” I repeated, in a desperate attempt to stop him.
He shook his head as if I was a child who refused to understand a simple thing.
But, fortunately, he decided to humour me. Getting off his bike, he pulled out a small jack from his backpack, raised the car, and slid under.
I stood by the side, looking at him expectantly. Hoping that he would find something in there.
I could see he was struggling with something. He came out from under the car after five minutes, showing me his bare but stout hands.
He was a well-built person and apparently, his palms and wrists were too large to reach the place where the wires were located.
For a moment, I wondered if I should volunteer to find the wires. My hands were thin and could reach the wires if he gave me directions.
However, he promised to return with one of his colleagues before I could suggest myself for the job.
I was in two minds. I really wanted to check this myself because I wasn’t even sure if he’d return. But he assured me that he’d be back with his colleague in a few hours. I was a bit hesitant to let him go, but there wasn’t any way to stop him, so I thanked him and said that I’ll wait for his call.
I went back to counting petals, but the afternoon sun blazed angrily at me, as if reminding me that flower petals were meant to be used for supremely important matters like love, and not for trivial matters like car break-downs. I respected aasman and released the flower back to dharti, and did the only reasonable thing that can be done in such times — I had my lunch.
Fortunately, the mechanic kept his promise. He returned after two hours with a slimmer colleague and a larger, industrial-sized jack.
They raised one side of the car with the jack. It was a huge jack with which they were able to raise the car really high. The slimmer of the two got under the car and expertly manoeuvred his hands to get to the fuel pump area. He emerged after about five minutes and declared that he would have to unscrew at least one screw of the fuel tank and lower it a bit to reach the wires.
I wasn’t sure if all this was needed, but the matter was out of my spectrum of car knowledge, so I left it to them, asking them to do whatever they had to do.
“Please be careful and put everything back together properly,” I requested, silently hoping they knew what they were doing.
This was going to take some time, so instead of just standing there, I started walking around the parking space until…
Until I heard a scream from under the car.
Apparently, the person who was unscrewing the petrol tank did not realise that it was over three-fourth full. He was expecting an empty tank. When he unscrewed the tank, it came down from one side, almost crushing him. I still have a feeling he had removed two screws instead of one.
Fortunately, the other mechanic was big and strong. He quickly slid under the car and held the tank while the slimmer one began his hunt for the fuel pump wires.
I decided to stand there and watch, just in case a third person’s help was needed for something. Very soon there was another shriek from the wire hunter, followed by a wild laugh from the other mechanic.
“What was going on?”
Previous Episode: A Strange Voltmeter
Next Episode: An Unusual Maternity Home
Advertisement
Buy this pack of 4 waterproof toilet set covers to avoid contact with toilet seats when traveling
No comments:
Post a Comment