a good story

Just about every two weeks, I fill my car at the local Shell Gas Station and pay the extra $3 for the drive-through car wash. I have found the car wash to be a great investment ... it takes off the first layer of dirt, it keeps my car looking clean for a good week or so, it saves me time and energy, it's so stinkin' fast & convenient and it's cheaper than a Starbucks latte!

I filled my car up with gas this past week and paid the extra $3 - but, it was raining so I just hung onto my receipt for a "nicer" day. After having lunch with Charlotte this sunny afternoon, I decided to stop by the car wash for a quick rinse and dry.

As I pulled in, something underneath the front/right side of my car made a LOUD crunching noise. At this point I became a little paranoid ... was my brand new car ruined? I thought maybe the side was smashed in or the tire was pulled off or something was ripped from the underneath. I had pulled in correctly (as I often do) so I had no idea what could have caused the noise ... I didn't run into one of the brushes or smash my car into the wall ... what happened!? So, all I could do was sit in my car and wait while the washing was being done. I waited and I prayed, "Lord, if my car is ruined, please fix it somehow supernaturally while I am sitting here. Please fix it before I even pull out of this car wash, Lord. Amen."

When the washing was completed, I pulled out slowly and heard the awful crunching noises again. I looked in my rearview mirrors, but I couldn't see anything behind me. I drove slowly through the giant car vacuums and watched a man in a truck pull up into the wash behind me. As he pulled in I heard the same noise come from underneath his truck ... I began to wonder if he was as puzzled as I was ... what could be wrong?? Well, I pulled my car alongside one of the pumps and as I came around the front of the car I realized my hubcap had been pulled off my wheel. It didn't take long for me to also realize that the large truck behind me had most likely caused his own crunching noise by running over my hubcap.

I went inside to the friendly cashier and told him my dilemma. He paused for a moment and then concluded, "yeah ... that's dangerous" He walked outside and stared at the car wash line (three cars long) and then decided to venture into the car wash himself in search of my precious wheel cover. Seconds later, he came out with a drippy wet head and my mangled hubcap in his hand ... "uhh, do you want this?" he asked me. I decided I'd keep it as evidence (and as a good conversation piece amongst my friends). Then he explained, "there are some papers and stuff that you can fill out, but I don't even know where they are so you will just need to call the manager on another day." I asked him to write me a note proving that the incident had happened. It read

Hubcap rip off 10/19
(his signature )

I decided that was good enough for me. I placed my mangled wheel cover in my trunk and I was on my way back to work.