If It's Not Broke, Don't Fix It

My phone is ringing and Stevie Wonder is singing...

You are the sunshine of my life, that's why I'll always be around,
You are the apple of my eye, forever you'll stay in my heart...

She's calling. Tomorrow she turns 21 years old. Where did the time go?

Me: "Hi, Sweet Pea!"

Her: "Mom, my car....is.....broken....sob...sob...and .........I can't.....come.....hoooooooome."

Me: "OK, wait. Stop crying and tell me what's wrong."

Her: "It's broken. It's doing what it did yesterday. I turn the key and it makes this really loud, scary noise. It's going to blow up. Lauren's car blew up, you know."

Me: "Describe the noise."

Her: "Click, click, click..."

Me: "It sounds like the starter or the battery."

Her: "Well you better be ready to come pick me up tomorrow so I can come home for my birthday dinner."

Me: "No problem, I will."

Her: "I called Dad and he's not being helpful at all. He told me to find someplace here to take the car to.

Me: "Well, did you?"

Her: "Not yet."

Me: "Ok, let's hang up and you get that done."

We hang up. Fifteen minutes later, I hear Stevie again.

You are the sunshine of my life.... I answer.

Me: "Well, did you find someplace to take it?"

Her: (Inaudible noise....huge sob.....) "Mom, now the whole car is broken. It's just broken. Even the brakes are broken. When you push on them the car just rolls backwards a little."

Me: "Sweetheart, you have power brakes. So, if the battery is dead or the car is not on, the brakes will not work."

Her: "Oh."

She's going to be applying for a teaching job next year. I hope she doesn't have to teach shop or mechanics.