The other day I left my apartment for work early because I wanted to get an oil change and return a movie (Battlefield Earth) to Blockbuster Video.  I still had not exceeded the suggested mileage that required a change but I was planning on driving 200 some odd miles home later that evening.  All Quik Lubes and what have you were closed but I remembered that I had a quart of 10w 30 in my trunk.  Upon returning Battlefield Earth I decided to check my oil level.  I was a tad low.  Adding a quart couldn’t hurt right?  Well, unless you are a mechanic and do this daily, the average driver spills a tiny bit of the oil on the motor whilst tipping the bottle over, unless you have a funnel, but who has time for that these days.  Like I said, only a tiny bit didn’t make it into its destination.  Immediately, my engine burst into flames.  Ok it wasn’t like fully engulfed but a car fire is a car fire.  You wouldn’t respond to a buddy of yours who has just informed you that your car is on fire by asking “how much?”

            I exclaimed to this black guy on his cigarette break from the Taco Bell, “Whoa!  My cars on fire!  Get some water or an extinguisher dude!”  I kid you not this is his reaction.  Tosses his smoke away, says “Aight, I got you dude.”  As calmly as he would have asked you what you wanted to drink with your T6. He proceeds to WALK towards the Taco Bell like he just entered a club in a rap video (mildly racist). 

            Luckily, as those of you who have ridden in my car before know, I have an extensive collection of quarter filled water bottles littered thorough out my car.  I scrambled to my car, grabbed several water bottles and proceeded to extinguish the blaze.  No real damage was done and I got lucky.  It got me to thinking of another time my car started on fire with a not so fortunate outcome.  To be continued…