It is a common experience for 1st and 2nd year med students, as they learn
about their craft, to think they have developed incredibly rare and lethal
diseases. That is probably the most glaring example of a little knowledge
goes a long way (other than sophomore high school students).
The principle works in auto mechanics, too. My LBC ('76B) started making
horrid sounds near the end of my last trip of the year. Sounded like the
motor was about to erupt. I had visions of it eating itself and
disappearing into a newly created black hole.
To make matters worse, puddles pooled below my car. Well, being a novice, I
thought i) the fluid was relatively light oil and ii) the motor was blown.
The car, after all, was 22 years old, I only had possession of it since
May, and I expected problems. Being a novice mechanic, I thought I could
take on small problems and leave the big ones to the pros. I thought this
problem qualified as the worst leaving me with a nice, motorless, shell of
a vehicle.
I could have made it into a SoapBox Derby entry.
Thanks to the list, I found Larry Macy (of list fame) who works across the
river from my locale (the Delaware River). He agreed to visit in his fabled
and maybe well reported Midget and take a listen. I didn't know at the time
that he actually lived about 45-60 miles away, somewhat over an hour away.
He thought he could make a visit Sunday morning and of course, Sunday
morning was the first rain in the area for weeks.
He came anyway. What a sight...actually it was his scarf that was the
sight...a Dr. Who remanant, about 4 yards long, made from individual
patches about 8" each. The scarf I later learned was a present from a group
of nurses-to-be that he had taught a class to. [By the way, that gift tells
you something about him.] After drying off and fortifying with the
obligatory coffee and bagel, we started my vehicle, he spent 5 minutes
fiddling and proved to me, actually showed me in great detail, that nothing
was wrong except the water pump which was nasty. Really nasty. An hour to
drive to my place, an hour to drive home, and it took him 5 minutes. He
visited for a time, and showed me other things. He even offered to work
with me on the right weekend when I do an SU replacement of a Stromberg-Z
carb. I'll pick the right weekend to suit him.
Thanks Larry. The best present I could have this holiday season is a
relatively minor problem, not the one, in my ignorance, I thought was so big.
***********
Which leads me to my thoughts on the 'travel help list.'
A long time ago I hitched from Boston to LA in 3 days. I thought then if
only I could reciprocate some of the wonderful experiences I had. Clearly I
couldn't reciprocate those specific folks who gave me rides, but I've done
my share of picking up hitchhikers since. I live close to the NJ Turnpike
and route 295, which are main North-South routes from "up North" to "down
South" of the US East Coast. As Zippy the Pinhead (copyright WM.
Griffith!) once said, "If NJ didn't exist, it would have to be invented so
one could get from here to there."
Well if I broke down on that trip, I'd certainly want to contact someone
relatively trustworthy which we all are. To do that, I'd need phone #'s, so
I am all for inclusion of phone numbers in the list, well, at least mine.
Happy Holidays everyone. Especially you, Larry.
Bill Saidel
'76 MGB
new member, SJBCC
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