in feb 2010, during my son’s visit from japan, we had made an appointment to have the muffler of my car checked during an oil change. my son drops me & the car off and walks to another errand.

i notice the owner/manager of the car repair place is like a butterfly, flitting around making a comment here, a comment there. from time to time he glances at me sitting in the waiting area corner, he makes comments in general, tho the occasional one somewhat directed at me and i respond in kind (general chit-chat).

i notice that the guy is becoming quite hyper and is beginning to use words like “out in the ethers” and other phrases, to the point where i think just tilt one more degree buddy and you’ll be speaking “spiritual lingo”.

then the my son arrives, the mechanic appears after having examined my car. suddenly there are several conversations taking place at once. the owner/manager is getting more worked up and intense. and is still directing his words in my direction. i basically tune out his words and just sit there breathing until i get this nudge to glance in my son’s direction. sure enough, my son has turned away from the mechanic that he was talking with and is looking at owner/manager. and my son’s whole body-language is saying, just tilt one more degree and i will need to say hey buddy that’s my mother you’re talking to. i just keep breathing and emanating calm.

the owner/manager’s words change and now instead of expressing anger that customers would question his suggestions or diagnosis, he’s expressing pain about how he takes pride in his work, puts his heart & soul into things and finds it quite painful that the majority of people think that he’s one step up from a snake.

i say yes i guess that’s true, many people see you right up there with used car salesmen and lawyers. at that point owner/manager grabs a notepad and comes to sit beside me and starts quoting from memory the suggestions and prices that the mechanic had given and basically ended up offering me a price of $600 for a $900 package.