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Happy Ending Car Tale
A Car story with a happy
ending! Through this episode
of breakdown, there was grace!
Date: 9/11/2006 9:08:58 PM ( 18 y ) ... viewed 1494 times 2:23 PM
September 11, 06
My lastest Enchanted Garden Club Member
is a real generous spiritual ally.
He considers the Earth Our Church.
He is doing an incredible service
for all us Churchgoers.
Rather than doing what he does for Kudos
the owner of AES Automotic Exchange &
Supply of California, Inc
creates Quality Remanufactured Auto parts
does what he does with little ego evolved.
He does what he does
with an eye out to help others and the Earth.
His speciality is starters--
Alternators--
Pwer Steering Pumps--
Rach & Pinion-
and Gear Boxes.
I know he remanufactures more than those parts
because the EG Mobile, my 68 VW Van, is
now traveling with a quality rebuilt
generator that AES assemblied.
The Saga of breathing new Generative Life
into the EG Mobile goes back numbers of months
to the point where a Red Light on the Dashboard
began showing up accompanied by stalling out
at low RPM's.
Here's the story...
Asgede, the owner at The Big House,
formerly The Bug House, replaced
the generator for the first time
back in June or July.
Ramon, the mechanic,
spent numbers of hours digging into the depths
of the Engine. Chapter after chapter ensued.
The Red Light persisted.
I was working with improving my Financial Structures
all summer long day after day. It was cumbersome
getting the EG Mobile down to the shop.
Finally, I took a break and spent the day down there.
We had another generator in waiting.
A few blocks from The Big House, the Red Light went
on again. The Engine would not restart.
I called in Western Towing, the company that works
State Farm, my Insurance company.
I recall Ramon rebuilding the brushes in that generator.
He was convinced it would work.
At that point, the Voltage Regulator yellow light started
to go on. We thought perhaps it was the sensor...we changed
it...it made no difference.
It all seemed a mystery.
At one point, Asgede the installed a new
Voltage Regulator.
The Red Light persisted from time to time.
Months seemed to pass. One visit to The Big
House blurs into another.
There always seems to be an energetic connection
between my mechanical and Electronic breakdowns
and my inner energetic states.
I mean isn't this the summer when you too
have felt drained out, as if your generator
was having a hard time?
By that time, AES had rebuilt my original
generator. Their reputation
for rebuilding generators was excellent.
It was waiting down at The Big House
for me to take time to install it.
A few weeks ago, I went down there to have
the new generator installed.
Around that time, my Mac Harddrive started to
make noises. I was very concerned.
I prayed that I would be able to finish my Record
Keeping before it needed to be replaced.
After the initial noise, All was Quiet on the
Computer Front--for about a week.
Despite prayers, The Hard Drive was going
to have to be replaced before I could finish
my Financial work.
I found Crywolf, an excellent Computer Gang
of folks. They installed a new Harddrive.
On the way to pick it up, and a day after
we installed the generator, the EG Mobile
started to make emphathetic noises on the
way to Crywolf. It was having difficulty
switching gears.
That was the day before the Slow Foods fundraiser,
August 27,
Two tows later, the EG Mobile was back at The
Big House,the following Monday
This time, it was the Clutch.
Asgede had Ramon install a new one.
By this time, Best Friend, was in a longing
mood, and I was determined to get North.
We were waiting and waiting together
for the EG Mobile to be fit to travel.
Finally Asgede gave his O.k.
that the EG Mobile was ready for the Road.
On the way up to Best Friends house,
The yellow light, indicating Voltage Regulation,
started to go on and stay on.
The Red Light again was going on
when I came to a stop--on occasion.
I prayed my way to her house.
I just had to get there.
I stayed about four days.
On the way home, I stopped at a gas station.
It was easy for the attendent to spot a disconnection.
Best Friend said some prayers before I left
on the EG Mobile.
The Vehicle got all the way way to my street
before the Red Light started to show up.
I was determined to get to the bottom of these.
I needed to make another trip up to Best Friend
this past weekend.
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were all dedicated
to the EG Mobile.
Wednesday I called AES to find out if they
could check out the generator without removing
it from the EG Mobile. They had a tool that could
do this. They were willing to do a test for me.
I went down to AES, recognizing that I was having
trouble with one of the generators they had rebuilt.
Tefoldo,one of the employees, noticed instantly the
disconnected wire. He attached it, and the Yellow
Light went off.
I breathed a sigh of relief, imagining this was
a light signalling the end of my dashboard woes
and accompanying nervousness and anxiety.
I made a powerful spiritual connection with
the Owner of AES--AKA James Allyn.
Tefoldo discovered that the generator was not
charging at idle speed.
James and I spend some lovely time talking
spiritual and natural issues. He was aligned
with my ideas.
I was so in gratitude that I told James I wanted
to gift him some fruits and herbs from my garden,
only about a ten minute drive away.
I went home, took a nap, and gathered some Rose Apples
and Peppermint Scented Geraniums, rosemary, and Lemon
Verbena.
I was so grateful that the EG Mobile was in Good Shape.
I called Best Friend. She was happy too, that I would
be able to come up on Sunday for a family gathering.
Her siblings and many old friends were going to be present.
I felt I just had to be there, one way or another.
I explored taking the train and greyhound Bus in case
the EG Mobile could was not in Good Shape.
On the way down to AES Wednesday, guess what?
The Red Light starting to show up again--
indicating more generator problems.
I was so dissapointed.
Tedolfo did another test. He was adamant
that I needed a deep battery charge, but
when I called Asgede he felt that if I drove
the car on the freeway more than six miles
it would start charging. NOT.
Tedolfo determined that the Voltage Regulator that
had been installed was not the correct one the
EG Mobile needed. It was not set to recharge at
low idle, but the generator was still in good shape.
On the way home, the EG Mobile stalled three times.
I had a Whole Being Weekend planning meeting that night.
When I set out to go to it, the EG Mobile would not start at all!!!
I felt I just had to get to that meeting!
Luckily, Angel, my housemate, was willing to take me
down to Kung Food, in spite of her gruelling day...
What Service and Love!!!
I had no ride home, but Diane, another dear friend,
showed up and came to my rescue. That felt so good!
Grace through Breakdown--what more can we ask?
Some really powerful things came together at that meeting.
The following morning, I called James--
I thought I would have the have the EG Mobile towed
down to Asgede's. James offered to have it towed to AES.
Again, I felt relieved.
That whole Thursday morning was about finding a new Voltage
Regulator that would work, installing it, and doing a battery charge.
by around three, Tetolfo did one more test.
Bad News! The generator had been so traumatized that it
died!
James gave me another generator to be installed,
and he wanted to help me out by sending me across the street
to have it installed by mechanics he works with.
Tefolfo said I had enough charge to make it down
to Asgede. I was driving without any working generator at all.
It was about 3 P.M. when I pulled into the mechanic across the street
for AES. They surveyed the job, and realized it was a much bigger
job that they could do that day.
At that point, I called up The Big House.
Asgede was not there, but one of his mechanics said on down.
Asgede was there when I got there. Ramon was working on another
job. It was about 30 minutes from the end of Ramon's day. Graciously,
Asgede knew I was going to have a lot of duress finding a way home
and then coming back in the morning to get the new generator installed
that James had given me.
I was exhiliarted to find that Ramon was willing to work overtime
Thursday--two hours overtime--to get the generator installed.
Asgede picked up that tab for all the work.
By this time, Ramon was getting really fast installing
the generators in the EG Mobile! THis was the third install
in less than two months.
I gave Ramon some organic grapes before I left
from Whole Foods, explaning that they were natural.
Asgede had really put himself out for me again.
He was certain that everything was going to be o.k.
I was thinking--please, please--no more Red Light,
Dear God, I can't handle one more Red Light.
A new Voltage Regulator--
a New generator installed--
Please no more Red Light!!!
I was already celebrating!!!!
I decided to go to the nearby Wildmill Farms.
Riding down the hill past SDSU, I came to a sudden
braking.
Guess what?
A new Voltage Regulator--
a new Installed Generator--
All that work overtime...
and another Red Light--
but no stall--
My heart sank. (sp?)
I made it to WildMill Farms and bought
a bad of Ginger Snaps and two organic apples.
I bunched one cookie after another all the way
home.
What's a guy to do?
I had enough.
I could not take any more for the night,
so I turned on HBO and watched "Dave."
I had little to say to my housemates.
That was the day of the Moon Eclipse,
no Return.
The next morning, I drove to Asgede again.
I had wanted to get a tune up before heading
up to Best Friend.
I told him about the Red Light--just once it
flashed...I still had hope.
He was heart broken.
He was having trouble with another truck
that was having a part find-it problem.
He never had already put in about six hours
replacing one generator after another at no cost.
He was murringly under his breathe.
He is a very positive man, and this was getting to me.
He said something like, "I am not sure if I can continue
to fix these old cars!"
I had been using that shop for more than ten years,
and three since Asgede took it over.
I was feeling positive, and very sure I was going to
be able to make it up to meet my family obligations with
Best Friend.
I figured that the Tune up was going to be easy.
I even brought down my computer to do some work
while this simple job was complete.
Guess what?
The Sparkplug #3 would not budge!
It had been installed crooked. Ramon did his
best to take it out. The threads were ruined
inside the head!!!
Oh NO!
My stomach sank.
Then, everyone started to look for this tool
that allows retreading.
Asgede was reassuring me that it was not a hard job.
"Don't be nervous!" he said.
Roberto, one of the other mechanic, told me
that they would rethread the whole with this tool,
but if it did not work, they would redo the head.
Just what I needed to hear.
That morning, I thought I was coming in just for a tune-up
and felt confident I could make it up to see Best Friend.
Now I was thinking, Greyhound again, or who knows?
All the guys including Asgede were looking all over the place
for this tool. Of course the only size they did not have
was my size.
There was more murmurings about old cars and
the unavailability of parts.
I was feeling a death sentence hanging over the EG Mobile.
Good God, please.
My poor 68 VW, please no.
It's the only seat I know I can fit in.
It's the only vehicle I can drive as far as I know.
Asgede called NAPA and ordered the retreading tool to be delivered.
He said it takes about 30 minutes to deliver.
An hour or more later, the lady showed up--
it was the wrong part.
Oh no!
Asgede told Roberto to go to another store and Home Depot.
He was reassuring me that he would return with the part.
Asgede kept saying, "Don't be nervous!"
I was nervous.
I was getting a valve adjustment, as well.
I was watching Ramon do the other work while we
were all waiting for the tool to arrive.
I was amazed. I saw no anxiousnes on Ramon's part.
He must kept doing what he could do next.
I was so nervous, I climbed into the van and took a deep time out.
When Roberto came back, he had found the part.
There was another guy there who paints. They had a conference.
The painter was telling Ramon how to use the tool. A part of it
screwed onto the spark plug.
Watching the men confer, didn't exactly breed confidence
that I was going to be heading North anytime in the forsee able
future, but I wanted to Believe.
I was amazed to find that while I was off talking to Asgede,
Ramon effortlessly got the part in.
About one hour later, Asgede and the guys down at The Big House
had be ready to roll.
My plan was to head back to AES to have them use that tool
to check out the generator and voltage regulator.
Before I left, Asgede, who had been saying "Don't be nervous!"
confessed to me that all last night he kept thinking about
the EG Mobile. He was really concerned. He was at wit's end
with this Red Light business. He knew this was the only car
I can drive.
I felt so touched by his concern. He is a real friend.
In turned out that James was off that day. It was his birthday.
Matt and Tedolfo were at first hestitant to do one more
test for me. I mean, I was taking Tedolfo away from his paid work.
They asked me to come back. I needed that work done.
I explained I had had the parts replaced.
Tedolfo did the test. It only took a few minutes.
Everything checked out perfect!
I immediately called Asgede, and told him the good news.
He kept saying, "Thank you! Thank You!"
It really mattered. I was very touched.
It had really been an ordeal.
From there, I planned to go to the FM, and get some food.
I thought I would get a gift for Asgede, but I ended up
too tired.
That night. I got a call from Best Friend.
She was beat too, and very irritated.
Just what I needed to hear.
The next morning, I headed north.
I went to Questhaven, this 640 acre retreat
in north Escondido where they honor Angels.
My San Diego Jewish Renewal Tribe was having a retreat.
I hadn't been to Questhaven since the early 80's.
I felt the Angels were calling me there.
I didn't have any problem with the generator
all the way there, but there was another
problem that was really disturbing.
Every time I went down a hill, I would get this
backfire that sounded like the Van was falling apart.
I intuited it was the muffler.
I did rituals to the Angels before I left Sunday
morning.
I asked for help and safe journey.
I made it up to Best Friends safe and sound.
There were a couple more electricical adventures of note...
I will leave that out.
Today is Monday...
I went down to AES to give $50.00 for a that Regulator
they had installed. It was another get time with James.
I invited him to join the EG Club.
He did.
It turned out that there was another great, great
VW mechanic who had just moved across the street.
Mel Lions of the Whole Being Weekend had told me
about him.
Mike, who has fixed VW's for 41 years.
I went to see him before I saw James.
He was clear that he could fix the EG Mobile,
whatever its condition. He allayed my fears
about the muffler. He explained that I needed
wiring help.
I could see he had real expertise.
I knew Asgede and Ramon could fix lots of things,
but Mike was an expert diagnostician.
Just what the Doctor ordered.
James and I talked when we got together.
Alway Spiritual more than mechanical.
He joined the Club.
I was real impressed with now much flow
of energy was moving around him at AES.
I have been sensitized to how much commerce
goes on with cars.
James offered me 15% for all business
that I generated that would go to my EG Projects.
Then I called Mike. I put energy into hooking up Mike
with James.
James said, I would get 7% of all the parts that Mike
purchases. I will use that money to pay for some of the
services that James can do, that are beyond Asgede.
I took a picture of the sign outside AES.
James was enthusiastic about having an Enchanted Garden
out front.
All in All, it was a very healing morning and day.
James can ship parts all over the country, and the my EG projects
will get 15% of all the sales that come from this.
James was telling me that it is a good idea to have
a spare starter, or generator, or alternator, or whatever
on hand before you need it.
Mike is going to give me a full readout of the health of the
EG Mobile, so I will know exactly what it needs.
James said he will take a walk and go visit Mike.
If you need a shart part,
you know where to go...
AES..
Automotive Exchange
& Supply of California, Inc.
phone 619.282,3207
4354 Twain St. Unit 1
San Diego, CA 92120
Excellent VW advice and fixing...
Mike's Foreign Auto Service
Mike Boone 619.280.8883
Mikes4un@dsl.extreme.com
The Big House,
Asgede, a really kind and honest man
who can do a good job at very reasonable
cost on many different kinds of cars,
5855 Market St., San Diego, CA 92114,
264-2144
(back soon...got to go out and catch the last
rays of light...)
One afternoon, it was time to go North to visit Best Friend.
She really, really, wanted me.
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