Does YOUR mechanic have WiFi?

We have this fella who’s been working on our cars pretty much since we moved back to New England 8 years ago. He’s a Honda specialist, but does a variety of other foreign models as well (including Subarus, which is what I drive now). In fact, both the vehicles we currently drive at Wayfarer House were purchased from Rich. Every once in a while, he has one for sale out front—something he’s looked at and thought was worthwhile to sell—and it has been the best experience to buy our cars from him. He doesn’t talk a whole lot, but he is forthright, honest, dependable--and he’s got wireless! In a mechanic, this is as good as it gets!

As it happens, I’m at Rich’s garage today getting my oil changed. I can do this because it is a snow day and all the schools in New England are closed. Well, I don’t know if that’s factually true, but I’ll put dollars to donuts that a goodly percentage cancelled today. The storm is a big nor’easter that will dump a lot of snow across most of this part of the country. It is the first major storm for most of New England and, as usual, people are freaking out. There is panic about the impending loss of power, hysteria that the roads will be impassible for months and frenzied efforts to stock up on food, fuel and potable water to last the rest of the cold, bitter winter.

Sweet Mary, mother of Jesus!

Can I just say, it’s not that bad. It’s snowing. The roads will be slippery today (I skated down here to the garage myself on the unplowed parts of the road, and my car as all-wheel drive). There may even be winds and snow together enough to qualify technically as a blizzard. So what? Drive slowly if you have to go out. If you have electric heat or cooking equipment, find your blankets and candles, and go cook stuff up now, so you have something yummy if you do lose power. This is what you’re supposed to do when a big storm hits. If you’ve lived in New England any amount of time, you know this. You’ve been through these before. You know what to do, and there is no reason to go nuts. This is not the worst storm we’ve ever seen, on any level.

I’m not sure I understand why this attitude of panic and alarm has taken hold. People have dealt with severe weather in New England every year since 1620. Most of those years, people have made it through just fine (1620 was a little rough, but then, Walmart wasn’t around at that point). Now, all of a sudden, in this modern age, we’re worried that we won’t make it. What the crap, people?!? The news reports don’t help this mania at all, making each storm sound as though it could qualify as the Storm of the Century and strategically placing reporters “on scene” to document, live and in living color, just how bad it is. Trust me when I say that the camera adds ten pounds, and it also adds 6 inches of snow and 15 miles per hour of wind.

By lunchtime Thursday, it’ll all be over. People will be plowed out. Power will be restored. Walmart will be open (if it ever even closed). Life will go on. For me, it will go on with new oil in my car. Thanks, Rich!