Matthew, Robby and Nicola, another classmate of Matt\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s, were standing in the kitchen, waiting for Nicola\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s mom to arrive when Diane turned to Robby and asked, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Did you know that tomorrow is Matt\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s birthday?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nRobby replied, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d then glanced my way. I had asked him the same question an hour earlier.<\/p>\n
Diane followed with, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Are you going to bake him a cake?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nRobby, master of the straight line, said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes, I am.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nI was a few feet away, behind the island and when he said yes, I thought, and that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not all. I said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Robby\u00e2\u20ac\u009d but almost too softly to be heard.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You are?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Diane asked with a tone that carried, I wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t serious, are you kidding me and isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t that sweet, in the same short phrase.<\/p>\n
I thought I had an opening so I repeated, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Robby.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d This time, loud enough to be heard. I was building up to something and soon Matt would tune in, as he always does, before anyone else.
\nBut Robby continued, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yeah, when he comes to my house I cook for Matt. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve made hors d’oeuvres, and other things. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m going to make him a cake\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I knew Robby was telling the truth because once he made me Sushi. <\/p>\n
Sensing another pause, I again said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Robby.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nMatt\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s eyes began to dart as if in search of a foxhole.
\nRobby turned to me and said, \u00c3\u00abYes?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153There is one more thing you need to do.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t finish. I let it linger to see if he could guess what I was about to say. He should have, because it was precisely the advice he gave Matt, in the back seat of Diane\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s car when we were returning from our Minuteman trip. Right after Matt called Joe clueless and we wanted Matt to apologize to Joe.<\/p>\n
Robby looked puzzled and asked, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What else?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nMatt said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Run.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Robby, are you going to give Matt a hug and tell him you love him?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nMatt blushed when Robby said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nHe blushed again when Diane asked Nicola if she were going to give Matt a hug and an I love you and she replied, “First, I want to see Robby do it.”<\/p>\n
Matt never blushes.<\/p>\n
Updated Parts List for the BMW
\nInner and outer tie rods (left)
\nInner tie rod (right)
\nCenter Linkage
\nClutch Plate
\nAir intake hose
\nDistributor cap, rotor and ignition wires.
\nClutch reservoir cup<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Matthew, Robby and Nicola, another classmate of Matt\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s, were standing in the kitchen, waiting for Nicola\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s mom to arrive when Diane turned to Robby and asked, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Did you know that tomorrow is Matt\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s birthday?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Robby replied, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d then glanced my … Continue reading