Wednesday, August 4, 2010 - North Shore News - A7
The curse of 2010 proves a powerful one
“Florence Bartlett was born on a Thursday 101 years ago . . . but mention the momentous birthday, and the longtime Vancouver resident will tell you she’s not turning 101 on Aug. 12, she’s turning one. ‘I’m not going to add the hundred to it . . . gonna start all over,’” she said. Todd Coyne, Vancouver Sun, July 30
WAY to go, Flo. I like your style. Best news I’ve heard all year; and I needed your encouragement because it means I still have lots of time to get it right. Get what right? Well consider this: Every time I heard 2010 this, or 2010 that, I grumbled. Tired of the constant repetition, I insulted the year — and for that I’ve been paying the price. Despite all the expensive efforts out of Victoria and Whistler, the year was set in motion early for me, on Dec. 11, 2009. That was when, despite a few mechanical misgivings, I decided to buy out my 2005 sedan at the end of its fiveyear lease, due to expire at the
Just Asking
Elizabeth James end of that month. In my own defence, I was persuaded by the idea that the buy-out total, plus the cost of possible repairs, still made the deal more economical than buying a new car. There were, after all, only 66,000 kilometres on the odometer. The theory sounded reasonable. Infallible hindsight tells me now it was the wrong move. I should have known that when, as dealership staff processed the papers, I mentioned to another staffer the fact that, “The heater doesn’t heat when it’s cold and does when it’s mild; I froze all the way here.” To which his immediate reply was, “Let me have your keys,
FUTURE SHOP CORRECTION NOTICE
ATI Theater HD750 USB TV Wonder 10134637 On the July 30 flyer, page 8, please be advised that the web ID advertised for this product is incorrect. It should be Web ID: 10139477. The price ($59.99) and product image on the flyer is correct. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused our valued customers.
we can fix that.” And they did — within 10 minutes — by topping up the coolant. I was used to the “solution,” it had happened before. As I would discover, my reaction at that point should have been to tear up the papers and walk away, because the year wasn’t done — in fact, it had barely begun. . . . No sooner had the buy-out hit to my budget shown signs of recovery than, seated at the computer on March 4, I heard a muffled “thwup” behind me and then nothing. Believing the noise to be the sound of a bird hitting the window, a common occurrence, I continued writing. And you’re right; it was the wrong move. Silently, relentlessly, the burst pipe continued to leak. What more is there to tell? You know what that means. The good news? Ericfrom-Starfleet’s bill was only $77 for a small plastic fitting, the wet-dry vacuum did its job and the weather was warm enough to air out the storage compartments which had escaped most of the flood
— and the water didn’t come even close to the furnace motor — that died around the ides of March! Eric’s good news? A new motor was actually in stock and, gee, a $383 bill could have been worse, right? Is the year done yet? Hah! The name is Liz James; don’t you get it? The car had sulked at all of the attention deployed elsewhere. So, within weeks, the hitherto undiagnosable Check Engine light flicked on again, off again, on again until one morning the small green pile at the curb refused to start at all. In case you’re wondering, yes, I maintain my car; but as with visits to the doctor, this type of problem is not easily diagnosed unless it happens again at the clinic. (This car was a lemon that should have been recalled; but that sorry tale is a lesson for another day.) Suffice it to say there are many more events and months to the pre-buyout history. And even more to be told about the tows and the trials that led to an eventual May 27
bill of $1,900 for a valve job and head-gasket refit. But why allow that to ruin my year when so many worse things beset others around the world? I didn’t. After all, as angry with my own decisions as I was at the car, I’d found a new dealership over in Burnaby where, led by Fred, the staff actually live up to the name of their “service” department. New friends and a car that runs; life was good again, so I took a deep breath, dusted myself off and moved on. That had to be it, right? Oh, darn, I forgot; this is yours truly we’re talking about here . . . and what the
heck was that pain in my back? Sciatica? Again! Now that one deserved a video. As it is, you’ll just have to use your imagination. The only hint I’ll allow is that I lost more sleep, and had a much closer relationship to the floor than the mattress in June and July than I care to remember — that, and the fact that a year’s work at the gym has all gone for naught, and that a Wal-Mart shopping cart makes a great pre-walker-walker to pick up the basics than ever I would have believed. See Proposal page 8
SPOT THE JOKER
FUTURE SHOP CORRECTION NOTICE Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction 10125847. On the July 30 flyer, page 1, please be advised that the gaming accessories beside this video game are NOT available for purchase. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused our valued customers.
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