Larry's stupidity (and lack there of)

Got me to thinking of times that I have done things less than stellar. One wasn't really my doing.

I always drive VW Beetles as a kid. From my first car on I drove bugs - good cheap cars and they give you lots off opportunities to figure out how to fix stuff.

I built a new engine for my 73 and was driving about four hours on the highway. It was running a little warm so I opened the rear lid to the first catch and drove down the interstate. Everyone that I passed had a rather odd look on their face. As I was going through a city some joker fliers up next to me and does that pointing thing about something wrong. Yeah, yeah, I already know the lid is up. Keep moving buddy. It's amazing how many people get a chip on their shoulder when a car with 53 horsepower passes them.

About 30 seconds later I noticed hat NO ONE was behind me. In three lanes of traffic they were all about half a mile back. And running their windshield wipers. I knew right away I had to be leaking oil. About that time the light came on. I pushed in the clutch and shut her off. Come to find out, one of the little studs that holds the filter cover on had come out and drizzled that oil on everyone behind me. I dug in the trunk and got another bolt, dumped in oil and away I went. I'd imagine some of those folks were trying to get oil off their windshield for weeks. It still makes me giggle a little.

Most days I am thankful the wife stays in the house. There are too many opportunities for me to make a spectacle of myself each day to have an audience.

Funny! Made me think of the day I guess I was 12 or so and my mom was going to grill burgers for dinner. We did that on a table in the screen porch. I don't remember how everything went to pass or if me or Mom started it but I rember someone driving in our drive and I was out back. They frantically told me there was a fire on the end of the house. I calmly told them it was just the grill as we'd just started it. They asked if I was sure and I said yes. They left and I went in to tell Mom about the person and that's when we notice the grill had set something in there on fire--perhaps it was the table top the hibachi was sitting on. We felt quite foolish. I remember a few frantic seconds but don't recall any damage. They had seen flames or heavy smoke from the road.

I delivered mail for awhile too out of an old Buick. I used to leave a spare key in the trunk lock so I didn't have to take the ignition key out to get a package out the trunk (USPS wouldn't have liked me leaving the car running but time expectations dictated I brake a few rules). Going down the road people often shouted over to me about the key in the trunk.

Bought a new 66 chev convertable. Day one put key in trunk. Was there for 20 years. Isn't life in the country grand!!

As long as we're admitting stupid acts, I remember the time I put the hibachi with live coals in the back of the truck with some scrap wood. Trucker finally got me to pull over and he made good use of his fire extinguisher. Never dawned on me that the coals would blow around.

Larry

Had a 92 Jeep Cherokee and the oil sensor started leaking. A few cars before they got around turned on their windshield wipers.

Way back in the olden days when i was about 16 or so i was in the shop arc welding. Well i had a pile of greasy shop rags and they caught fire. Looked around for something to put the fire out and grabbed a jug of winshield washer fluid, not thinking it was flammable. Tossed it on the rags and up they went!!!! Cr#p........ Ran out to the pumphouse and yanked the hydrant on and took off with the garden hose at full gallop. Had 50 feet of hose and the shop was a little further than that. Dad was sittin in the yard watching the whole adventure. Ran out of hose pretty quick, feet went out from under me and flat on my back. Before i got back on my feet, dad had already walked over, tossed a canvas on the fire and put it out. He walks past me sitting on the ground, still holding the hose and says........wow youre pretty funny!!!!

(quoted from post at 08:46:48 11/02/14 It's amazing how many people get a chip on their shoulder when a car with 53 horsepower passes them.

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Way back in the early days of VW bugs there was a decal, maybe a license plate frame, not sure, that read: "You've just been Volkswagened - passed by 36 hp".

My first 2 cars were Beetles, what they lacked in power they made up for in fun.