Yesterday was a very exciting day for me. I got my oil changed at a local Valvoline station. How can that be exciting, you may ask? But believe me it was!
I am not good at anything mechanical or electrical or anything to do with carpentry but I do know how to get my oil changed. At least I thought I did. I pick a place that changes oil and I go there. Problem solved. Well, usually, but not so much yesterday.
Usually, I just go to the oil change place, get out of my car, go inside, tell them I want an oil change. I sit down and read a 2 year old magazine and wait for half an hour, then pay my bill and go shopping or to lunch somewhere.
Yesterday was WAY different. I felt like I was in the midst of an intense military operation or a swat team taking down a bank robber holding hostages.
First of all, you don’t get out of your car, you just sit there and look uninterested in what is going on. And try not to look too stupid when they ask you to pull the hood release. I don’t remember ever having to open my hood, therefore I didn’t have a clue where the release was except I was pretty sure it was somewhere on the left lower side of the dashboard.
I was totally embarrassed to tell the guy I didn’t know what he was talking about, so he told me to open the door and then he pulled the release thingy. All the while thinking okay, she’s old.
Here is where the operation begins. There were three bays in the oil change building. Evidently, the guy who was changing my oil was in charge of the operation. He kept yelling out orders to the other guys who responded, got it, or copy that, or okay man.
Sometimes they asked him questions and he gave quick, short answers and they responded again. They were moving at a rapid pace, opening and shutting hoods, checking lights, windshield wipers, tire pressure and batteries all the time keeping in close touch with the leader of the expedition.
It didn’t seem like it took more than 5 minutes, but I think it is advertised as a 15 minute procedure. Anyway, the next thing I knew they were applying my coupon, explaining things about my battery and filters and giving me a receipt. I thought they might ask me to testify in court but then I remembered I was at an oil change business not a swat team or military procedure.
Can’t wait to get my tires rotated in a couple of months.
Reach Kaye Brown at [email protected]
