Time to Slow Down and Smell the Road Kill

The things I’ve learned from my ailing transmission…
I was having a great Saturday. Really. The Heart of Carolina Romance Writers meeting was great. Everyone had super stories from the RWA national convention in NYC. Virginia Kantra let us hold her RITA, which for those of you who aren’t romance writers is kind of like holding the best actor OSCAR, and the post meeting coffee was filled with great conversation with a great group of ladies.
Then I started home.
My first clue something was seriously amiss was on Wade Avenue when I stepped on the gas. The engine went VROOOOM…and the car went put-put. Not being a stranger to the vagaries of geriatric motor vehicles, my brain said…uh oh…transmission. I hit the cell phone panic button, i.e. I called hubby.
That netted me the helpful advice: 1) check your transmission fluid and 2) if you have any – drive home carefully or alternate 2) if you don’t have any – buy some and drive home carefully.
Thanks, honey.
So here are the 7 things I’ve learned from my ailing transmission:
1. The location of the transmission fluid dipstick is guaranteed to be in the one place where you will get dirty and burned checking it.
2. Even with your hazard lights on, people will still run right up on your rear bumper when you’re doing 45 mph on an interstate as if you are suddenly going to accelerate to NASCAR speed. Hazard. Lights. Flashing. Blinky. Blinky. Something wrong with car. You should pass me.
3. You need to leave earlier for work when you have to drive like one of those older drivers who need a booster seat to see over the steering wheel.
4. Engines running at 3500 rpms to maintain 45 mph get lousy gas mileage.
5. You should check your oil a lot more frequently when your engine’s running like that.
6. If your car takes odd-sized tires or windshield wipers, which usually means the more expensive ones, chances are you’ll experience the same issue with finding a replacement transmission.
7. And finally, the most important thing I’ve learned, road kill stinks a whole lot longer when you’re approaching and passing it at 35 instead of 55.
Sigh.