I got my oil changed today at a drive-up place, no appointment necessary. The man asked me to pop my hood which is a very reasonable thing to ask except that I couldn’t remember how to do so. I yanked on what I thought was the lever and a piece of plastic came off the lower dash.
“Would you like me to help you, miss?” He asked. I am not a miss but I am also not a ma’am so I let it slide. He pulled the lever (the location of which I tried to burn into my memory for the next time) and put the piece of plastic back where it belonged.
“Would your dog like a treat?” Another employee asked. Willow’s ears perked at the sound of her favorite word.
“Yes, thank you!” I said, a little cheerier than normal. I was still trying to atone for not knowing how to pop the hood.
The first man came back and stood by the driver’s side window while two other men finished the oil change.
”Man, I need a haircut,” he said, swiping his bangs to the side. I thought his hair was fine but he didn’t ask me. I think I went almost two years without a haircut during the pandemic so my bar is set low.
The second man returned with my receipt and a dog biscuit. Lucky Willow. I drove out of the garage, focused, unblinking, clenching the steering wheel to avoid crashing into the sides. These places make me nervous.
Next time, I will pop the hood on the first try. I’ll play it super cool, super casual. Maybe I’ll do it without even looking. Level up. Boom. Like a pro.