Car down

Like usual, I started my car this morning and it sounded weird. I let the car run for a while thinking that the engine needed some warming up. Then I smelled something funny. It smelled like petrol, and the smell was very strong. I saw fluid running along the ground under the front of my car. I crawled on the floor and looked underneath my car. It was leaking lots of fluid. I got up and quickly opened the car’s bonnet. RON 95 was spilling out like a fountain and splashing all over the engine. Swiftly, I turned off the engine. My engine would have burnt and exploded had I run the car a little longer. The petrol smell was overbearing to the extent that my neighbour went out of their house to look. I flashed my cutest smile and simply said, “Car problem.”

Few days before I just upgraded certain things in my car to make it a more comfortable ride. Played with some of the wiring and stuff but did not touch anything major like the engine. Although this is an old car, the engine has been fine all along. I think there’s some burst pipe somewhere that occurred with wear and tear. I’ve been maintaining my car regularly all this while. After numerous breakdown problems, I did not want to feel helpless anymore. I learned how to diagnose most of the car problems and understanding the different parts of the car and its mechanism. I can jumpstart a car or change tyres better than any of the straight guys in my class. Straight guys are excellent with automobile theories but some can be wimps when come to using their hands on the car.

Because of this car problem, I am unable to go to the ward today. I had wanted to visit this patient who had cancer. I have bumped into her so many times in and around the hospital. It must be scary for her to be diagnosed with cancer for the first time in her life. It seems that I have been coming across one too many cancer patients, furthermore with my volunteer work at the hospice. Maybe I will become an oncologist someday, bye-bye my paediatrician dreams. This patient must be wondering why they are only offering her chemotherapy and radiotherapy instead of surgery. It seems like every doctor in the ward was to busy to properly explain to her. This is understandable as patient load in the wards are high. I guess this is where medical students come in, to fill in the gap and spend time with the patients when doctors are not able to due to their heavy workload. Wanted to clear her queries on why she was referred for radiotherapy instead of surgery. I am worried for her but I have told her the survival rate for her cancer is more than 80% (I have looked at her lab results and confirmed with the specialist). Hopefully, this will alleviate her fear but nevertheless, being diagnosed with cancer will always be horrifying experience.

Oh, back to my car, I am not supposed to think about work on my weekends. The mechanic’s workshop is closed on Sundays and I will have to get it fixed tomorrow. This car is my worst investment to date. I should have listened to my parents and buy a new car, which they promised to finance. However, I didn’t want to burden them and settled for a second-hand car with a one-off payment. One loan less and more money for other investments. I’m leaving my first car at home and let my parents enjoy driving it. I hope the repair doesn’t cost much or I would need to put my organs up for sale again. Maybe auctioning my right kidney and left lobe of the liver to the highest bidder. Maybe my left parotid gland as well (one should be enough to produce all the saliva I need). Any takers?