07-09-09


I developed a sense of noticing when the bus was being touched from the outside. I’d feel a vibration, or hear a slight noise. It was a pleasant sensation because it meant to me that progress was being made. If I thought I sensed something, I’d perk up and tilt me head to the side like a dog listening. I was usually right and could detect the slightest tinkering.
The engine is under the bed, so I knew right away that morning the moment they went to work.
I got up and went out to chat. They needed to access the engine from the inside, so I tilted up the bed. They worked for several hours inside and out, while I worked on my computer at my kitchen booth. They joked quite a bit about how difficult it was to get into the engine compartment. They had to lie down and crawl in head first to reach anything.
After lunch I felt them working. The radiator hose had finally shown up. They put it back together and we started it up to check. Things looked good. I now had a flushed cooling system, new antifreeze, lower radiator hose, thermostat, radiator cap, serpentine belt and they installed a new air filter that I had with me.
I took the bus for a test drive over the Missouri River and back. I pushed it hard up the hill and it ran nice and cool. I forgot to check where I was when I left the shop and didn’t know my exit. I guessed right and went in to pay.
I was freaking out inside at how much this might cost. They worked many hours usually two guys at a time and they are a commercial diesel garage. I squinted to see the total from several feet away as the woman walked toward me with the bill. $586. I’ll take it. I paid and left.
I stopped to get fuel before going immediately to rescue my Jeep. While fueling I reviewed my repair bill and was surprised to find that they only charged me for four hours labor. I know they did at least eight hours, again usually two at a time. I’ll never know why they did that. Maybe they just felt sorry for me.
I cruised along happy to be free at 75mph, sometimes 80. I was very anxious to get back to my Jeep.
I entered Mountain Time and got my hour back. When I got close to where I had stayed Monday night I could see the huge “Badlands Travel Center” sign towering far off on the horizon, just as it did when I was breaking down. As I got closer I looked intensely for the first sign of my Jeep. Finally it came into view. I was so happy and relieved. I pulled in and parked where I did before. Ten feet before I stopped I hit a pot hole and heard my glasses crashing in the cupboard. I found it funny that I drove that far only to knock them over that close to my stop. I tipped the glasses over a lot. This time one actually broke. It was just an old shot glass I didn’t care about. I’m thinking about perhaps pre-knocking stuff over before I travel. The same stuff just keeps falling over.
I bought a car charger for my phone at the truck stop so I wouldn’t have to run my generator just to charge my phone and spent a quiet evening at home.

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