17.11.05

Maybe I should clarify...

Not that my number 1 son is a total jerk, but the reason for me being so adamant about his attitude back yesterday, was he was, well, an ass.

You see his car, the ever loving Lady C purchase, of the 1988 Nissan Sentra version, was not participating is his day long laze-about. It was not working due to a severed clutch cable. He was supposed to be working. But car cant run, so he cant go. I mentioned the very convenient public transportation, but he nixed that with a hummmmph.

So I work all day on the shower, the laundry, while Lady C is stuck at her job for 16 hours. So the day turns to early evening, and during the course of the day, I have picked up the new clutch cable. I told bruddah to scope out the cable that needs replacing, and see what goes where, and various hints at get the job started. After getting around to none of it, I finish my day, and pack off the Maile-girl to dance class. On the way back, I phone home and tell him to put the car on the flat area, so we can get a look see.

After hemming and hawing, he finally bitches and moans about this and that, but I say nothing. I keep thinking on how the hell I can figure this thing out, and teach him some lesson about TRYING in the end. So i decide on humour. I keep singing crappy versions of "born to run" and "tonights the night" over and over while diagnosing the cable.

To remove the cable I had to lie upside down in the drivers seat, and reach up under the dash to unhook the thing. So that took some time, and all the while I keep yapping on about how I dont know what the hell I am doing, but I am trying. Once the clip came free, and I replace it with the new one, I declared in a loud voice -

I am the clutch cable god of all time!!!!!!!!!!!!

Which, at 700PM on a muggy hawaiian night, carried a bit.

Finally his attitude changed around, as he finally saw that IT ISNT THAT HARD to put some effort into something, and get something good out of it.

And hopefully he found a sense of humor, vs. a pisspoor attitude, works better.

Having a lunatic for a father helps, too.

Aloha.

3 comments:

Anne said...

bravo, dad!

your patience is commendable, and i hope it goes a long way to teach the boy how it's done.

Jennifer said...

Good on ya, loony-dad. You ARE the cable god of all time and so much more!

Segue said...

Clutches have cables?

I had an '88 Prelude once, and it had two cylinders connected with hydraulic lines.

I know nothing about cars... But I do know that replacing the clutch cylinders on the Prelude was expensive.

Nice work.