Crying Over Battery Cables

Stupid Fucking Minivan

Published on January 12, 2005 By Texas Wahine In Misc

I'm crying.

I can feel myself making the "sad Gizmo" face.

I have tears in my eyes, tears on my face . . . my bottom lip keeps popping out.

Today I am supposed to clean the battery cables on the car. I had to go all over the base to find club soda to use. Now I have a brush, gloves, club soda, pliers, and a flashlight. I popped open the hood and propped it open with the metal bar.

I was crying even before that.

I am scared to do this, and so I wanted to do it and be proud of myself and make Adrian proud.

But I am sad. As I was driving off to get Club Soda, a neighbor told me that one of my back lights is out. I don't know how to fix that.

I cried on the way to the store, and Xavier asked me, "Momma, what's wrong?" I told him, "Nothing." I don't really know what's wrong.

I just want to be held. I want someone to help me with all these problems that keep coming up. I want to be loved and cherished. I want to not feel so alone.

I don't know why I'm crying so much now.

As I was driving away from the first shoppette I went to while looking for Club Soda, the ABS light came on. I don't know how to fix that, either.

More tears.

I looked inside the hood and I know where the battery is . . . but it's underneath a bunch of other stuff. I don't see any black and red cables. I looked and looked and prodded all around with my flashlight in my hand but I still couldn't find the things that I'm supposed to unattach and clean and then reattach. Stupid fucking minivan.

I'm supposed to be able to do this.

Comments (Page 2)

TasT

on Jan 12, 2005

Trade it in for a thirty year old car--they're easy to fix.

That's the truth!

TW,
Unless your having problems with the electical stuff in the van or having problems starting it there should be no reason to clean the cables. And if starting is the problem it's most likely the solonoid on the starter not the cables.

I agree with Dharma take the thing to the Auto Hobby shop on base and have one of the nice guys there help you.

Moderateman

on Jan 12, 2005

hi ya tex......... If your reduced to tears about these things you mentioned, there is a much deeper hurt your not looking at.... and the tears are "leaking"

wish I could help more, but see if what i said is reasonable ok?

Shovelheat

on Jan 12, 2005

Makes me feel good that there's at least ONE thing I can do in my sleep that causes others such distress...

xtine

on Jan 12, 2005

I so can't imagine what it must be like for you TW....I was lucky enough so that when my first husband was stationed away for a year, I lived with my parents or his parents and they took care of these things for me.

Then, with my current husband being in the Guards, when he went away for his two week stint, that's when everything would break. Once he had a December training, the water heater broke while I was showering and had shampoo in my hair. Let me tell you that the water in Minnesota gets very cold in December....

Another time, I thought I would be the WOMAN and mow the entire lawn by myself...we have a three acre lawn. I can't use the big tractor, just cause I can't. Too big and complicated and lots of sharp moving parts, so I set out to do it on the little rider. I got it done. Took me four hours three days in a row, but I did it. Course, I ran over and chopped up a PVC cap on our drain field. Had to cover that with a coffee can until the hubby came home.

When we were concerned about his deploying for a whole year, he made a list called "Things I Do that She Has No Idea About" and holy crap, the things on that list boggled my mind. I had no idea that he thumped the pipe on the wood furnace downstairs every now and then because it loosens up over the winter. Lots of crap like that. And that's big crap, cause if that pipe came off the entire house would fill with smoke.

Isn't it amazing the things you don't know you don't know?

dharmagrl

on Jan 12, 2005

Isn't it amazing the things you don't know you don't know?

Yes it is! And you're right about things breaking when they (they being the menfolk) are away. One winter our pipes froze up and D was in the middle east (again)...so my dad got a call from a very distraught me wanting to know how I was supposed to thaw them. Then another time the car died on the interstate and I had to leave it and hitchhike for help, then there was the accident where I totalled the Jeep, then the toilet clogged up because someone flushed half a roll of paper and I had water running down the walls at midnight, then there was the time the furnace shorted and blew all the fuses, then the neighbors called in and said I was beating my kids and I got visits from law enforcement at 2am 3 nights in a row......yeah, it's just great all the shit that goes wrong when they're gone.

I'm having D make me a 'what to do it if ______ happens' for this upcoming deployment. That sounds like a very good idea.

Texas Wahine

on Jan 12, 2005

cacto:

Do you roadside assistance in the US?

I do have roadside assistance, but I think I will just take it in to Firestone.

I hate messing around with cars and stuff cos there always seems to be bits left over from even the most simple repairs I've ever tried (including changing a wheel or the oil - some sort of quantum effect I think).

Wow. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who doesn't "get" cars.

So now I leave it to the professionals. Just drive or push the car down the road a bit and give them a call.

Yeah, I'm going to make an appt to have it all taken care of . . . I can't handle all of this myself. The minivan hopefully will start and I can drive it.

Myrrander:

aw, dearie, this isn't your fault...I didn't consider the fact that the battery might be buried under a ton of other machinery -- I think they do it just so you HAVE to take it in...

Thank you for saying that. I was also a bit worried that you would be disappointed in me, too . . .

I cried of a vehicle once, when I tried to fix my transmission and nothing was like the manual said it should be.

That would make me cry, too.

i'm all sad reading this, hon, that sincerely sucks -- you aren't a loser or a dummy tho, you just can't be Mr. GoodWrench at the costume ball this year (I know that disappoints you).

Thank you for making me smile. I would have liked to be Mr. Goodwrench at the costume ball.

*big hugs* {--------------------------------------------------------------------------------this big------------------------------------------------------------------}

I will take that hug. Thanks.

steven:

Trade it in for a thirty year old car--they're easy to fix

I'm sure you're right.

dharma:

Let us know how it goes, Tex.

I definitely will.

TasT:

Unless your having problems with the electical stuff in the van or having problems starting it there should be no reason to clean the cables. And if starting is the problem it's most likely the solonoid on the starter not the cables.

I'm having problems starting it . . .

I agree with Dharma take the thing to the Auto Hobby shop on base and have one of the nice guys there help you.

I'll look into that.

moderateman:

hi ya tex......... If your reduced to tears about these things you mentioned, there is a much deeper hurt your not looking at.... and the tears are "leaking"

I'm sure you're right.

wish I could help more, but see if what i said is reasonable ok?

It is.

shovel:

Makes me feel good that there's at least ONE thing I can do in my sleep that causes others such distress...

xtine:

I feel like a failure . . . I feel like I should be able to do these things . . . and I am really hurting because I am not getting any support or encouragement or praise for all that I'm doing. This is so hard.

Let me tell you that the water in Minnesota gets very cold in December....

I can imagine . . .

Took me four hours three days in a row, but I did it.

That's determination. I'm sure you felt really great when you'd finished it.

Isn't it amazing the things you don't know you don't know?

Yes. Absolutely.

Shovelheat

on Jan 12, 2005

I'm having D make me a 'what to do it if ______ happens' for this upcoming deployment.

Tex & Dharma, just post 'em here, there's bound to be somebody to help ya out

Texas Wahine

on Jan 12, 2005

shovel:

Tex & Dharma, just post 'em here, there's bound to be somebody to help ya out

That's a really good idea . . . and there have been times in the past when a JU has been able to really help me with some problem I was having . . . BlueDev and an ear infection is the first instance that comes to mind . . . and Myrrander was soooo helpful with the battery cable thing.

kingbee

on Jan 13, 2005

Makes me feel good that there's at least ONE thing I can do in my sleep that causes others such distress...

if that one thing is cleanin battery cable clamps, im positive i dont wanna hear any more about it

actually i dont think anyone can get to that battery easily even wide awake.

Texas Wahine

on Jan 13, 2005

Kingbee:

actually i dont think anyone can get to that battery easily even wide awake.

He he he . . . I forgot to mention all the help you gave me. You rock.

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