I had to go to the pharmacy yesterday. I hate even going once...but I had to make a return trip to pick up my pills. I was standing in the rear of the pharmacy and could here some great commotion going on in the front by the doors. I picked up my scripts and began walking to the front. I was none too pleased with what I found. Several young store employees were gathered at the door looking out watching a pair of Senior Citizens. The store employees were laughing because the guy could not start his car. Every time he tried...his car alarm went off. I watched.
As the alarm was going off, his wife would sit stoically in the passenger seat. I am sure she would rather be any place else. But...I am also sure that there was only one place for her...and that was at the side of her husband as he tried to figure out this problem. Well, the car alarm finally stopped. I begin my walk to my car...and the alarm begins again.
I look over. The little old man looks helpless. I am sure he tried everything he knows. His Bride is at his side, nonplussed, and appearing faithful that the ordeal will come to an end. There are 4 girls watching him....none offering help. He continues to fumble with his dash and appears to grope some things under his seat.
Well...I can't take it anymore. I walk over to people that I have decided will be my new found friends. I know no strangers, just friends I haven't met yet. It is not a very long walk. I was only parked two cars away. The alarm was still blaring and as I approached the car...the four girls inside the store scattered. It was like they suddenly came upon the realization that this fun was coming to an end and they had better get back to work and earn what is probably minimum wage. (Which, in my opinion was way too much to be paying them.)
So...I arrive at my new found friends car. Never having spoken a word ever before.... I greet them. “Hey, How Ya Doin?” I was greeted with two sheepish grins from the cutest little old couple I have ever seen. I just wanted to take them both home and keep them.
The old man replies to me...”We are having problems with the air bags.” This answer really caught me off guard....however it defined the moment. These two sweet people had no clue what was going on. The old man gets out of his car as the alarm continues. “Yeah...every time we start the car the alarm goes off. It must be the air bags...we had passengers in the back seats...and they must have touched the air bags.”
Now...I have learned not to respond. I just seized up the matter and was preparing a strategy of what to do. I open the rear two doors...knowing that the problem was not going to be fixed from the rear, I still had to address what the old man thought was the problem that was coming from the rear. So..I open and close both rear doors. Then the old man does something curious. In his hands are his keys...and a little black palm holder with buttons... and he presses a button. Low and behold...the car alarm clicks off. He then proceeds to get into his car....places the key into the ignition and the car turns right on.
Now....here is the kicker...the couple look at me....as if I am some Knight in shining armor. I smile...and reply that I did nothing. The alarm had nothing to do opening and closing the rear doors. It had nothing to do with the air bags...it just had to do with a key alarm that needed to be turned off.
Nevertheless...my new found friends drove off....with me sitting in the sunset. They were beeping their horn and waving because they felt some burly man had just been kind enough to fix their car alarm by opening and shutting the rear doors to their automobile. Thus the airbags were fixed and the car was able to start.
So...if you see in the future an old couple in a parking lot....trying to fix their car by opening and shutting the rear doors.... These are my dear friends. I taught them everything they know on fixing air bags.