Jiffy Lube and the Muffin Men

So . . . My car did not pass inspection which meant I had to embark on the entire process of getting the darn thing fixed. The type of work it needed done was not something my daddy could do – he is not a muffler man – he is an engine man! So, I set out to calling different places to see what the new catalytic converter would cost. I was in shock. Prices ranged from $400 to $500 . . .until I called this one place.

Now, I promised the kid on the phone I would not tell anyone he gave me the number because he did not want to get in trouble for referring people to his buddy’s place of business. So I won’t say the name of the Company but I will say it rhymes with Tidas. He refers me to a place called Muffin Muffler – yes, I said Muffin and after I got over my giggling fit he gave me the number and I called. So I go and get the repairs done for $250 and I take my car to some other place after driving it for 100 miles. Apparently the car has the “reboot” system of Windows and it takes FOREVER for it to reset or fix itself. So, I take the car, have it checked and YES – Victory at last. But of course the people who tell me it will now pass inspection do not actually DO the inspection. So I head off to Jiffy Lube.

The ever friendly workers at JL greeted me at my car and helped me inside. It had been raining and the water from outside and the oil on the floor inside do not mix . . .literally and I almost fell on my butt. Anyway, two guys tackled my car – at first I thought this was because I was such a valued customer and then I realized I was the only person in the shop.

Then the kid who initially greeted me comes walking in. Tall and kinda lanky and very talkative. He tells me he is from Lufkin and has recently moved here to attend AA counseling and he has hopes of moving to a “sober house” soon. After which he hopes to start some college courses. He asked questions about me and I answered and he was really a nice kid – 24 years of age, liked to talk and apparently just a drinker because he refused to ever do any drugs. Oh, and he used to be a roughneck and has a cousin who lives in OK and his parents are really proud of him for going into rehab.

Then another car pulled up and out he went to greet and work. Within five minutes my car was finished, I paid and got in my car. There was lots of paperwork sitting on my dash so I started putting it up when I heard a knock on my window. It was the tall lanky kid – he said “I just wanted to tell you to have a nice day . . “ and I was thinking he is so sweet . . . then he handed me a piece of paper and said “you should call me sometime”. OMG! I smiled and said thanks and drove like Jeff Gordon to get out of there.

Here are my objections to this entire situation – he is 13 years my junior and to be honest. . . if he is a recovering alcoholic I am probably the last person on the face of the earth he should even consider hanging out with. Finally – I am pretty sure he only weighed about 110 pounds . .. soaking wet and there is no way in HELL I would “call someone” skinner and lighter than me . . . that is just wrong - I am not a very big person and if you are smaller than me you are either a midget or just plain scrawny.