Pass the Acid
As in battery acid. You thought this would be about something else huh?
We had a minor change in plans for our official family Memorial Weekend hike. Every Memorial Day weekend we take a day trip to the Shenandoah National Park where we hike and have a bbq. It's a great get away for us all.
Our morning went as planned. Since we packed the food and other paraphernalia in the van the night before all that was needed was the last minute extra items. As we made our way to the park entrance we were faced with the stench of our car, literally. Our car was smelly, like rotten eggs. And anyone that knows anything about cars knows that smell is not good. We popped the hood to reveal the source or our stinky van. The battery was oozing battery acid. Beautiful.
Considering acid in most forms is not something you want all over your engine we had to make a trip back into town to rid ourselves of this offensive battery. Fortunately for us the good 'ol local K-Mart was open. K-Mart in general is an interesting place. No matter where you are the same sort of oddity (in people) is there. Hanging out at the local K-Mart is not my idea of a good time, yet to others it may be a wonderful way to spend an afternoon.
We bought the supplies we needed: the battery, a ratchet set, rags and chemical gloves (which my husband thought was way too much, meaning wimpy, because we really didn't need them. Seriously did he think that pulling a battery covered in acid with just cotton rags was a safe thing to do? Yes he did.) While he removed the battery I entertained the children on the horse ride. I became the silly mom feeding quarters in the machine to shut up her spoiled kids. Or at least that's what I looked like to the local folks. "Ok darling one more time....."
My husband removed the battery successfully and placed it in the shopping cart. He took the offensive battery to the K-mart service desk (we paid for the battery disposal) while I loaded the children into their seats. He returned rather quickly to the van and motioned to me to hurry and get it together. It felt a little like the National Lampoon's Vacation moment when Clark Griswald, after ripping off the Grand Canyon hotel cash drawer, returned in such a wild hurry to shoo his family along that they had little time to admire the view. Whereas we were in a K-mart parking lot and no money was taken and we were not on vacation it was still rather funny. Turns out the battery was abandoned in front of the service desk by my husband. He left quickly as the "What smells?" comments were being said by the patrons. Way to take responsibility.
So yes we left a stinky mess at the local K-mart. We are terrible, terrible Griswalds.
We had a minor change in plans for our official family Memorial Weekend hike. Every Memorial Day weekend we take a day trip to the Shenandoah National Park where we hike and have a bbq. It's a great get away for us all.
Our morning went as planned. Since we packed the food and other paraphernalia in the van the night before all that was needed was the last minute extra items. As we made our way to the park entrance we were faced with the stench of our car, literally. Our car was smelly, like rotten eggs. And anyone that knows anything about cars knows that smell is not good. We popped the hood to reveal the source or our stinky van. The battery was oozing battery acid. Beautiful.
Considering acid in most forms is not something you want all over your engine we had to make a trip back into town to rid ourselves of this offensive battery. Fortunately for us the good 'ol local K-Mart was open. K-Mart in general is an interesting place. No matter where you are the same sort of oddity (in people) is there. Hanging out at the local K-Mart is not my idea of a good time, yet to others it may be a wonderful way to spend an afternoon.
We bought the supplies we needed: the battery, a ratchet set, rags and chemical gloves (which my husband thought was way too much, meaning wimpy, because we really didn't need them. Seriously did he think that pulling a battery covered in acid with just cotton rags was a safe thing to do? Yes he did.) While he removed the battery I entertained the children on the horse ride. I became the silly mom feeding quarters in the machine to shut up her spoiled kids. Or at least that's what I looked like to the local folks. "Ok darling one more time....."
My husband removed the battery successfully and placed it in the shopping cart. He took the offensive battery to the K-mart service desk (we paid for the battery disposal) while I loaded the children into their seats. He returned rather quickly to the van and motioned to me to hurry and get it together. It felt a little like the National Lampoon's Vacation moment when Clark Griswald, after ripping off the Grand Canyon hotel cash drawer, returned in such a wild hurry to shoo his family along that they had little time to admire the view. Whereas we were in a K-mart parking lot and no money was taken and we were not on vacation it was still rather funny. Turns out the battery was abandoned in front of the service desk by my husband. He left quickly as the "What smells?" comments were being said by the patrons. Way to take responsibility.
So yes we left a stinky mess at the local K-mart. We are terrible, terrible Griswalds.
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