* * * * *
                                        
                                    Van Gush
                                        
Spring [1] and I were out buying a mattress (my twin bed mattress is not
cutting it; neither is Spring's futon mattress) when we noticed a copious
amount of radiator fluid underneath the van. She popped the hood and it
looked like a small hose came loose and was draining all the fluid. But it
was on the bottom of the engine block, so it was hard to reach it from the
top, and nearly impossible to see it from the bottom without getting an
eyeful of chemicals. 

Spring tried reaching down but when she grabbed the hose it fell off. It was
a small segment of hose, maybe five inches in length. Fortunately, there was
an auto repair shop next door. Unfortunately, the auto repair shop was closed
(it being 6:00 pm and all), but fortunately, there was an auto parts store
across the street. We decided to load up the van with the mattress and drive
there. 

They couldn't help us. No one there knew anything about vans, and even if
they did, Margate [2] city ordinances disallowed anyone making vehicle
repairs in the parking lot (according to a sign on the building). 

We then decided to attempt the drive home and hope the tempurature would stay
low. We got about two miles before having to turn into a parking lot and shut
the engine off to cool it. Spring was jonesing for a cigarette so we got out
of the van to walk to a gas station on the other side of the parking lot when
we realized we parked right in front of an auto repair shop that was still
open! 

We have to leave the van there overnight while they check it out. Meanwhile,
we called Rob [3] to pick us up at the repair shop. 

[1] http://www.springdew.com/
[2] http://www.margatefl.com/
[3] http://www.tragic-smurfs.com/

Email author at sean@conman.org

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