Your mission, should you choose to accept it...

The story of how we hot-wired our own car, sort of…

Date: Friday March 1st
Time: 8:00 AM
Location: Starbucks, Pinecrest Mall

So last week, in what I am sure is a shock to all of you, Coxxorz, Rolly and I went out for coffee. To Starbucks. Thursday as a matter of fact.

As we finished our coffees and headed back to the car we discovered a small but inconvenient problem.

I could unlock my car, I could start my car but I could not drive my car. The gearshift was stuck in park. Despite numerous attempts at troubleshooting, nothing. The gearshift remained stubbornly stuck in Park.

We gave up and Coxxorz walked back to get his car to give Rolly and I a lift home.

That evening both my mechanic and I had no luck getting the gearshift unstuck.

But Friday morning, Guba and I accepted our Mission Impossible and using her car I drove back to the CRV with my tools. WITH MY TOOLS!

As soon as I broke into my car by pressing the unlock button on the keyfob I attempted to move it out of Park. No luck again. Shortly after comparing the side of my steering column to the totally different diagram I had downloaded off the web my phone rang. It was control or as she is more commonly known Guba.

Guba: "I found what you need to do."

Blackwalt: "Good, cause my instructions don't match our car."

Guba: "You need to lift off the top of the steering column"

Blackwalt: "Sure, no problem" attacking the steering column top with a tool the internet tells me is a tongue and groove pliers.

Guba: "How is it going?"

Blackwalt: "How hard is this supposed to be?"

Guba: "The guy in the video just wiggl…" ** loud cracking noise **

Blackwalt: "Never mind, It's open."

Guba: "There should be a white lever on the right..."

Blackwalt: "Got it."

Guba: "That should..."

Blackwalt: "You're a genius, it's working, see you soon."

** quiet click followed by a dial tone **

Now with a practical work around I drove my car directly to the mechanic's and begged him to please, please fix it. Then I proceeded home and Guba and I and Rolly (home sick) started our regular day.

Blackwalt: "With you on the phone like that it seemed like something out of Mission Impossible."

Guba: (laughing) "I was thinking the same thing."

There was a short pause.

Guba: "Wait, how am I supposed to get my car?"

Blackwalt: "Whoops, I am needed downstairs for... for... something. Yeah, something."

Guba: "Wait a minute!"

I heard later on, once she started talking to me again, that Guba enjoyed her brisk, morning walk to Starbucks.

PS- my car is still at the mechanics.