I remembered to check the oil but forgot one other important thing

By Tammy Malgesini

Staff Writer

Published on September 28, 2016 7:52AM

Reminiscent of the familiar line “This one time, at band camp ... ” in the 1999 film “American Pie,” my husband, John, doesn’t let me forget about this one time I added oil to my pickup.

My first vehicle, a 1973 Ford Courier pickup, ran like a champ. The only problem is it burned oil.

I had just graduated from college and struck a deal with the youth pastor of the Free Methodist Church. I gave him my 100 Honda motorcycle and a couple hundred dollars and he handed over the keys to the baby-poop brown colored pick-up.

I loved that truck. It gave me the freedom to throw gear in the back and hit the road. Since I wasn’t able to afford to get it fixed, I bought a case of oil and always carried a couple of quarts with me.

When I first met John, he had an old 1971 Volkswagen Beetle. To start the VW Bug, you often had to be on a hill to get a rolling start and then pop the clutch.

So, when we were taking a trip to Seattle, we decided to take my truck. In preparation for the long drive, I checked the oil level and topped it off.

I was proud of the fact that I was an independent woman with a college degree and could take care of my own rig. I made a point of telling John that I added oil for the trip.

After packing, I went to John’s apartment to pick him up. He tossed his bags in and then slid behind the steering wheel. I figured he had driven that rode numerous times and could deal with city traffic better than me.

We also picked up another George Fox student, who hitched a ride with us. We laughed and talked as we cruised up the road. Everything was going smoothly until we dropped the gal off in Tacoma.

Stopping at a mall just off the freeway, John turned off the engine while we waited for her ride to pick her up. All hell broke loose with black smoke pouring out of the engine compartment.

John opened the hood — that’s when he noticed that the oil cap wasn’t on (and the inside of the hood was covered in oil). Evidently in my excitement about the trip, I forgot to put it back on. By some stroke of luck — after driving 150 miles — the cap was still sitting in the engine compartment where I put it while adding the oil.

To this day, John grins and shakes his head whenever we recall this story. And, if I add any fluids to vehicles, he double-checks to make sure all the caps are secure.

___

Tammy Malgesini is the community editor. Her column, Inside my Shoes, includes general musings about life and appears every other week in the Hermiston Herald. Contact her at tmalgesini@eastoregonian.com or 541-564-4539. Her car care tips are something of a cautionary tale of how not to best care for your vehicle.