Last Thursday I took my car to a Jiffy Lube. Say or think what you will, I needed an oil change and seemed to be continually busy from the time I woke up until I passed out around 1 or 2am for the last several weeks. I've had no problems with them in the past, though I usually do the basic stuff myself as it is a bit more expensive to have someone else do it. I thought, "Hey, I'm rich and busy, so on to the Lube." Normally after a change there is usually some oil that is on the engine, and a resulting burning smell from it is normal, so after getting to the studio (did I mention I'm a big-time musician) I smelled the distinct smell of that burning. Thinking it was normal, the smell came back after a few other short trips, but seemed to get better, then eventually go away after a few days. "Back to normal," I thought. This Tuesday I went to Rio Rancho to take some pictures with my band for a SXSW application (Boom! The party never stops with The Musk!). On the way back, on Alameda just past 2nd St., I heard a Blam!, or maybe more of a Wham and Ka Boom mixed... Ka Whoom?... anyway, I thought that I may have hit something or the engine just blew up. As I got on the interstate, I noticed tons of smoke and fluids pouring out the back of the car! By the time I got off the interstate the oil light came on, the engine light came on, and the car locked up just a mile or so from my destination.
I've been toying with the idea of not having a car for a while, and this now seems like the perfect opportunity for me to give it a try. Ralph Nader hasn't had a car for nearly forty years and he seems to be doing fine (you know, relatively). The few problems may be getting to gigs and driving around my daughter when she's in town. I could always rent a car for gigs, or ask a band on the bill if I could use their rig (but still use my bass) but a week and a half of rentals for my daughter every month or so would be too expensive. I could always carry my daughter around town on my shoulders... we would only need to go to the park or grocery store. Getting a new car is out of the question, I really don't want to mess with one again, but being a musician complicates all that. Perhaps I'll take up the flute (please, no skin flute jokes).
Mr. The Musk, sir, did the JL indeed replace the oil they were supposed to? I'm thinking that JL might have some sort of satisfaction guarantee...anyway, we in SP shall toast the memory of your car.
"The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason." -Ben Franklin
As for Jiffy Lube, I'm not sure what, if any, role their work played in the demise of my vehicle. I just thought I'd mention them because everything seemed 'normal' with my car up to that point. I'm not sure if I'll even find out if they hold some responsibility, but I may. Regardless, it doesn't seem all for naught if a toast is made and some drinking is done. I had a mighty, if not heroic, drunkening the night after this happened. While I was not close to my car (it never got a name), this may prove to be quite a change. I'm playing a solo show on Sunday morning (breakfast and music!), but it's almost close enough to walk all my stuff down there. Cheers!
