Al’s Gone
For this to mean much you have to go back and skim this.
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I drove to the Nissan dealer in Marlborough for a replacement part for my windshield wiper -Â the arm that connects the motor to the center pivot assembly – and paid twenty-nine dollars for a thin piece of aluminum with a plastic bushing on either end. The parts guy, Dave, asked me if I needed anything else.
“I’ve two sets of keys. One works the door and the ignition, which I can’t find, and one works only the ignition. If my remote dies I won’t be able to get into my truck.â€
“I can make you a new key.â€
“But I don’t get it. Why doesn’t it work in the door?â€
“Your key has a slight bend to it; that’s probably the problem.â€
“Then how can you make me a new key?â€
“Have you had the truck serviced here before?â€
“I bought it here.â€
Dave went to his computer and came back with the so-called key code.
“Ten dollars and I’ll cut you a new one.â€
“Wait a minute. You mean if I were in Wyoming ( I was really thinking, Maine, in the backwoods, with the guys) and lost my keys all I’d have to do is call a Nissan dealer, or you, and I could have a new one made just like that?â€
“That’s right. Better yet, I’ll print out the key code for you and you can stick it in your wallet.â€
“I brought my truck in about two years ago for recall work, dropped off only the key, and the service manager called me the next day and had me drive back here to deliver the remote cause he couldn’t open the door. Why didn’t he suggest making another key?â€
“I don’t know… .?
“He was an older guy. Nice guy. He’d had heart attacks, been in Vietnam…”
“That would have been Al. He’s dead now.â€
A memorable story, and one that gave Mike a chance to memorably pen “Hayes hay day” (I’d’a written heyday, myself … ). I guess the trouble with knowing so many is the number there are to lose — turn around for a moment is all it takes sometimes. R.I.P., Al. Can you be muscled and mean in the afterlife … ?
Comment by el Kib — February 24, 2008 @ 10:09 am
Most of us know that many, but we don’t ask after them when they are AWOL, so the passing goes un-noted.
What gets me is; everyone described him as old. Since when is 50-something old?
Question about meeting people in the hereafter — who choses which body you use?
Comment by jennifer — February 24, 2008 @ 3:37 pm
A World of Shoulds, by M. Miller. All the chapters in this real-time hypertext book are beginning to link together like a novel that I’m reading–The Impartial Recorder, by Ian Samsom.
Comment by rakkity — February 24, 2008 @ 9:21 pm
How moving. I love how he is memorialized here in our little group therapy sessions and his loved ones have no idea. Thats cool impact.
Comment by Jen — February 27, 2008 @ 7:35 am
Maybe it’s just as well his loved ones have no idea.
Comment by rakkity — February 27, 2008 @ 3:45 pm