I’m so over this morning commute. This has been the case since I took on the task of house-sitting for my mate Jenkins, who lives in the south-eastern suburbs. I mean, I’m at a pretty decent advantage here – I don’t have to pay rent for the next six months – so I can’t really complain. But it’s a horrible drive into the north at peak hour, and I need to vent.
To make matters worse, I’ve been driving Jenkins’ old rust bucket of a car through this morning madness. There’s nowhere to park my van around here, and part of the bargain was that Jenkins’ 80s station wagon gets to occupy his driveway. Honestly, I have no idea why he’s so precious about this piece of junk – not only is it covered in rust, but it stalls at the drop of a hat, the steering is tetchy and the braking power leaves something to be desired.
I wonder when this thing was last taken to see an auto mechanic. Bentleigh isn’t exactly lacking in them, and Jenkins isn’t exactly lacking the funds to shell out for car repairs (he’s spending eight months having a ‘creative sabbatical’ on a Greek island, for heaven’s sake). He’s always been a cheapskate, though, as far back as I can remember – even in high school, he was always trying to trick me into paying for his bike repairs.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the guy has been deliberately putting of car servicing just so that I’d wind up having to fork out for it, and it looks like he’s about to get his way. The drive through the city would be significantly less painful if I didn’t have to restart the engine every time I pause at a traffic light.
So – who do you recommend for a comprehensive car service, Bentleigh readers? Ideally, I need a mechanic who can do this efficiently. Someone with auto electrical expertise wouldn’t go astray, either – the dashboard lighting seems to be on the blink.
You win this round, Jenkins.