More humor at my expense

Well folks,
It seems I am a lighting rod this month. Our local Mopar club decided to go to a cruise-in this past Saturday. It would be my first with my 67 Cuda. We were to meet at a burger joint and then go a couple of hundred yards to the Cabela's parking lot where the cruise in is.

I spent most of Saturday sanding the right side of my car down. I want to at least get the body all one color of primer even if it's rattle can (I am really good at the can method). Anyway I was not able to finish so I decided to wash the car and get her all cleaned up for the evening cruise. I was excited as several members of our club had yet to see Wanda. Me being the president wanted to show others that it does not matter what your car looks like. Only to enjoy them and show others your progress!

Cool, the time came and my wife and I were on our way. I took the time that afternoon to put a tool box together with common tools and made sure I had a jack, lug nuts for the spare (I am running Cragers) and tranny fluid, oil everything I might need just in case. Right?

We cruised up to the burger joint by means of the back roads and arrived with no issues. Not that I was expecting any of course. Wanda is a great car and would never leave me stranded. We went in to eat and a little over an hour or so went by. We began to leave and my wife had to hit the little girls room. No big deal right. So I wandered outside and walked towad my beloved Wanda. OH CRAP! I just remembered I had the lights on when we arrived. Of course I turned them off, I knew I did? I mean the lights are'nt on now!

I got that sinking feeling one gets when they know that there might be a problem. So I opened the door and yes you guessed it, Wait here it comes, Get ready! DEAD AS A DOOR NAIL! Not even a click, No interior light whatsoever. Drained battery. Great I am not prepared for that. No jumper cables!

I asked a member of another club (Modern Mopars of Austin) if he had a set of cables. No he said, So I had him call for me another member on his phone and requested his assistance. No problem! He came over and within a few we had wanda fired up and ready to go. Or so I thought. You see the guys thought I was on my way so they took off and left to join the cruise in. I am now there with just me and my wife in a busy parking lot. Oh yea the wife. When she came out to rejoin me she saw I was a little upset. I told her Wanda was dead and it was my fault. She gave me a good ribbing which seemed like forever. I told her Mr. Les was coming and we were jumping the car and everything would be cool.

So back to the "new" dilemma. Everyone has left and I backed out of parking space number one. Into drive I go and she hesitates and dies. Again. Not enough juce to keep the ignition going. Now I am floating amid cars and drive through traffic. I hop out and begin to push Wanda into parking spot number two. At this point I have no jumper cables, no phone numbers to anyone in the club (remember I called Les from another guys phone) and above all else the wife ribbing me and trying to make me feel better. I was upset and frustrated. The one thing that can leave you stranded I did not prepare for.

Luck was about to shine. About two hundred yards away from us was a Walmart. I told the wife let's go. She said where? I said we are going to go get a new battery. So we hoofed it on over and picked up a new battery AND cables. I had just bought a new battery about four months ago so this is getting expensive. We took the "new" new battery over to Wanda and I had her installed in less than three min. Turn the key and away we go.

We get to the cruise in about a half an hour after everyone else. Backed up Wanda with the other Mopars and began the night. Now I get to explain to everyone what happened and that I was not prepared. Me being the President of the Mopar Muscle Cars of Austin am falible and yes not always prepared for the unexpected. The rest of the night the joke was on me and about me. No worries though as I had a great time and so did the wife. We left around nine and cruised home. Wanda purred like a kitten all the way home and the night was an expensive lesson in what can go wrong when you least expect it. Owner induced!!!

I now have a spare battery, Juice anyone?

No Sparky,
John D. Beckerley
Austin, Texas