Somehow, probably thanks in part to movies they stereotype a mechanic's daughter, the tendency is to picture a girl wearing grease smudged overalls, clunky brown shoes, and a red and white bandana in her hair. She knows the names of hundreds of tools, and has an obsession with a welder.
I'm a mechanic's daughter, and I certainly do not have an obsession with a welder, not even with a lowly wrench. I know hardly a single thing about trucks, or tools for that matter, it's not a fact I'm proud of, but I feel I must spread awareness that not all mechanics' daughters are like the picture I just painted.
Yet, being the daughter of a mechanic, and a sister to a brother who is also a mechanic, does mean, sadly enough, that I get called out to help with all sorts of odd mechanic-related situations every once in a while.
I had a very long day yesterday, I went to the library, dropped off an invoice for a client Dad did some mechanic work for, went to the bank, and to Goodwill. By the time my Mum and I got home, I was exhausted and extremely ready to read the books I had checked out.
As I walked up the sidewalk towards our porch steps I recoiled in disgust when a horrid stench filled my nose, I'm not the most observant when I'm tired, so it took me a little time to realize that Eldon (my eldest brother) was spraying primer onto a fuel tank that he's working on for the truck he just bought (this is a ton of information, so just bear with me here) for those of you who do not know how primer smells, you'll have to believe me when I say that it's stinky.
My brother spotted me almost immediately and gestured me over. My Dad wasn't at home at the moment so my brother was short a helper, here's when I come in.
I know hardly a thing about how mechanics, and people who paint trucks, and truck parts (namely fuel tanks) dry their projects properly, however they do it, I'm almost certain it is not how my brother does it. He had our tractor's bucket raised, then he hung the fuel tank from a very strong wire that he had attached to the bucket, his primer-ing and painting took place in such a position. It's quite ingenious in my opinion. But I was needed to hold the tank carefully as he repositioned the tractor. It was difficult, at least to me, and a mini adventure, and in the end I smelled of primer, but it was rather nice to feel useful even when I have no idea what I'm doing.
Another time, I was needed to spray starting fluid while my brother tried to start a rather dreadful lump of a tractor. I won't go into detail. but in the end I reeked of starting fluid. Why is it, that everything mechanics use reek?
This was quite possibly the strangest post I have ever made, and I'm not certain if I understand it all either, but now you know that even though I prefer beautiful things, and sweet things, and rather romantic hobbies and such, I do occasionally help with projects that stink.
Enjoy your week everyone, and I hope for your sake that all of your projects will be stench-free.
I believe - but don't quote me - that the starting fluid is ether. I used to have a car that was so patched up that folks wondered who I'd bribed to get it on the road. I always tuned off the engine when I got gas, and this one time it would NOT start up again. One of the mechanics yelled to "Bring the ether", and I asked him if he was going to put the car out of it's misery, since ether was, at that time, used to put down animals.
ReplyDeleteOne of the best things to have in your family is a mechanic! You are very lucky indeed to have two. One day, far in the future, you will unexpectedly catch the scent of machinery and be instantly transported back to the times you spent with them. :)
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