The Truck

One day, Wilbur’s staid 2002 Ford 550 Dump truck decided it was tired of being ordinary.  Maybe we weren’t giving this large, red truck enough attention.  Although, we made numerous repairs, (including two new transmissions) changed oil, and kept it filled with fuel among other things, this mundane maintenance did not fulfill the truck’s need to feel important.   To remedy this situation it caught on fire in front of Mike’s house.  Mike is our job foreman.

After the fire, the truck needed massive repairs, to the tune of $12,000.  Like the robot struck by lightening in the movie Short Circuit, the fire changed our sober, dependable truck’s personality.  It became mischievous and quixotic.  Wilbur and employees would drive the truck to a destination, only to have it refuse to start when they wanted to leave.  The worst trick our truck pulled was to stall in the MacDonald’s drive through and refuse to start again for about a half hour.  For some reason, MacDonald’s did not find this amusing.  The drive in management wondered if they could push the truck out of the way.   Pushing a 1 ½ ton truck loaded with 8000 lbs out of the way…..  Where is Superman when you need him?

For four or five months, the truck was in and out of the repair shop like a yo yo.  One part after another was replaced to no avail.  We paid bill after bill. Finally a team of mechanics attacked the problem and the truck pronounced healed.  So far, the truck starts when it’s supposed to, and we have received another bill.  What I am wondering is, would it make sense to pay the bill with a check that bounces?