by Some Guy
H’m, the car won’t start
It seems every generation tries to improve things to make life easier for the next. Our homes are full of “life improving” gadgets. Every time a new gadget comes out it seems you’ll hear members of the older generations say something like “Heck, when I was growing up we didn’t have those sorts of things.” And then every time you have a malfunction with a modern gadget you’ll hear things like; “Yep, you’ll have that”, “We never had those sorts of problems before”, or “Times were simpler then”.
But each generation develops its new “life improving” gadgets. And in turn take them for granted. And then allow themselves to become totally reliant on them.
Let’s take transportation for example. Today we think nothing of jumping in our car and driving someplace. When we need to go someplace and the car won’t start, it seems like our entire existence will end.
One time I had a car malfunction that made me believe that my theory of becoming reliant on modern gadgets is true. I was going to make a quick trip to the store and my car wouldn’t start.
While I was hanging out from under the hood pretending like I was actually going to be able to start this car, my neighbor came over to investigate, and to offer advice.
As the banging, clanging, cursing and blood building up on the driveway increased, so did the assemblage of neighbors. At least that is my personal experience with trying to fix a car, a lot of banging, clanging, cursing and bleeding. Some people don’t have this problem, but I do.
After about an hour or so the assemblage of neighbors in my driveway represented a wide range of generations. Old and young alike were offering useful tidbits of advice. Such things as “Maybe it’s the fuel injector?”, “Is there gas in the tank?”, and “I really don’t think that part is supposed to come off that way!”
As time went by, and it became more apparent that I had no clue what I was doing, and that the car may never run again even by the hands of a skilled mechanic, the offers of advice ended. The mechanical advice was replaced by reminiscing about simpler times.
One of the older neighbors present pointed under the hood and said, “Cars used to be a lot simpler.” “They didn’t have all those gadgets and do-hickies under there, just a carburetor and spark plugs.” “They were a lot easier to work on then, that’s for sure!”
The real old timer in the crowd said, “Heck, when I was growing up we never had these types of problems at all.” “When we wanted to go someplace we just saddled up the horse!”
As I was picking up the engine parts scattered about the driveway and putting them in a five gallon bucket for the mechanic I said, “Yeah, well, I’ll bet my mechanic will be able to figure out where all this stuff goes and still get this car started.” “Ain’t much you could do with a horse that wouldn’t start.” “Can’t fix dead old timer!”
The old timer said, “Yep, you’re right, can’t fix dead.” “But in my day if the horse would die, we’d just walk until we could get another one.” And then the reminiscing continued. Several observations were made by this old man on how cars have made us lazier.
“Where were you off to anyway?” the old timer asked. “Maybe I can give you a ride?”
I said, “Down to the “Quickie-Mart” to get a gallon of milk.” The old man just kind of chuckled, “Well, back in my day we didn’t have Quickie-Mart’s.” “If we needed milk we just went out back and visited the cow!” The reminiscing turned from transportation to food.
Feeling that I couldn’t take any more “reminiscing” about simpler times I declined my neighbors offer for a ride. Instead I just walked the three blocks to the Quickie-Mart to get the milk.
