The Cost of "Bein' Da MAN" While Cappy is Out on Da Boat.

Boy! I hope it never gets this bad. I took this picture in Newnan (with 3 n's), just south of Atlanta, outside of Hank's BBQ. As you can tell from the bright orange plastic construction netting, the place is getting some kind of overhaul. Apparently somebody with our kind of sense of humor posted the gas prices. I hope we don't EVER have to see them that high. You'd think what with Cappy working in the oil industry, pushing his barges full of it, we'd get some kind of discount, but nooooooo.

Before he leaves the house as he's going to work, he pets his dawgs and tells them, "Okkkkay, boyyyyyyys, ya be good and take care of yer Momma, and watch da house til I git back". He gives me a hug and says, "Yer in charge now...yer 'da Man' til I get back! Yer da Cappy's wife, n'I love ya".

Welllll, let's see what dis 'man' has up her sleeve first thing. (Shudder) This morning the SUV decided it was left out of Cappy's departing encouragements, so it refused to start. We had to slop around in the dark, drizzle-soaked yard, dragging both batteries out of our boat, fumble around in the shed with a flashlight to find the battery charger, then string a myriad of heavy-duty extension cords and jumper cables to persuade it to start. With a warm surge of appreciation it started nicely and drove us to Houma. I didn't turn it off til Cappy got his seabag and everything out of it at his office, and I got it all the way back home. We've noticed that whenever we stop it lately, that the starter has acted kinda pouty, and resets the clock. Now something's been draining the juice outa the new battery. We surmise it's an electrical problem. Perhaps the starter or the alternator or a fuse.

So. I'm 'da man'. Just now I pulled up my sleeves, hitched up my britches, wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, tightened my lips, rocked back and forth on my heels, (if I'da had loins I mighta girded them) and called the place where we bought it about 6 years ago. It's not going to be purdy. I can feel myself slipping into my 'John Wayne mode' again, but somehow I don't think it's going to work very well in a mechanic's garage, where he has home field advantage. I've played this game before and know what I'm in for. Batting my eye-lashes only let the 'opponents' know they could roll right over me, which they did, so that's how I came up with my John Wayne strategy. It didn't work in the mega do-it-yourself home store, I know, I know... (archive story "But I Don't Wanna Be the Cowboy"). But it's all I've got going for me, so I'm goina try it again. Gonna take that SUV to the dealer, stride into the dark mechanic's den, as big as life, with my well-honed John Wayne walk (I think I got it 'down') and try to get a word in edge-wise to tell him what I think is wrong with it, before he gets a load of how I'm walking and tells me, "Oh...the Ladies room is over that way".