Girls

Last week I visited the NAPA Auto Parts store in Natick with my vehicle's owner's manual and my vehicle. I placed the book on the counter and said, "My passenger's running light is out."

The gentleman didn't laugh. Instead he picked up a pencil and piece of paper and said, "Make and model."

I knew that answer. "Gas guzzling, but highly effective when transporting children of scouting and parish events 2000 Chevy Suburban."

While he looked up my part on the computer I was totally amazed by this shop. Behind the counter were rows and rows of shelves and on each shelf were boxes clearly marked with part numbers. It was love. If I worked here, I would learn so much about cars and parts. While he searched for the correct bulb I searched for the words to ask for a job. In the end, I walked out with a 94 cent part and no job, for the words did not come to me. Instead they were jammed in a two mile back up of inadequacy. I didn't even know what part I needed -- or if the bulb was amber or clear. But I had what I came for, the bulb and I had a new sense of getting to know my behemoth just a little bit better.

The bulb sat waiting until this morning when I announced, that after church I was going to take care of it. My husband quickly answered, "I did the headlight before. I'll take care of it."

And then I thought, that's not good; for two reasons. The first, when I was a little girls I was always under the car doing this or that with my dad. So I'm older now, and not as flexible. But I can still read directions and follow them. And two, what about my own daughters? Who will teach them about simple car maintenance?

"Come on girls, let's go see if we can do this together." In two seconds, happily the three of us had the hood open and the owner's manual laid open to the page on headlight and such replacement. Three seconds later we had the headlight cluster out, and we were unclipping the turn signal running light assembly.

Ten seconds later the old bulb was out, the new bulb greased up a bit and put in it's place. Then the snag hit. While reinstalling the assembly by closing the big clip, the only one mentioned in the directions, the lights seemed loose. We reread the directions and continued to put the headlights back in -- hoping tightness would come upon completion. But the running lights weren't correct. So we took it apart again and looked for unwritten clues.

"Look," said the middle one, That looks like it fits behind there. And she was right. Six quick hands and two levers later the lights were firmly back in place and working.

The job done, smiles and pride spread across us all. But before I dismissed the help we went over adding washer fluid and checking the oil -- pretty much all I know how to do with this vehicle.

I had the middle one close the hood. She gave it a resounding slam, and said, "This would be a great project for the Girl Scouts." And I have to agree with her, as it would give them a sense of pride and a sense of self sufficiency. Maybe next weekend we will jack up the Rig and change the tire.