I was meant to drive my sister’s car to the mechanic today, as a favour. She got this ride a while back, and I’ve always found driving it to be a slightly odd experience. It’s kitted out with unnecessary paraphernalia, like a screen on the dashboard that helps you judge parking distance and DVD players on the backs of the front seats.

Anyway, the snazzy-mobile was due for a battery change – apparently, all these bells and whistles need to be powered somehow. So that’s how I came to be on my way out to see an auto mechanic in Bentleigh. I was about halfway there when I stopped off for petrol, only to find that the car wouldn’t restart. I ended up calling my sister’s friend to come and deal with it – I have better things to do than wait around for a tow or whatever it is that you do in these situations.

Okay, so maybe I was a bit ungenerous with my ‘favour’, but I only agreed to do it because she told me she absolutely couldn’t get out of work that day. It’s one thing dropping the car off at the mechanics, but it’s another thing to deal with it having a full on breakdown at the servo. That’s what sis has friends for, right?

It was a handy reminder, at least, on the subject of booking in for my own annual car service. Bentleigh East would be a handy place to drop of my ute, since it’s on my sister’s way home from work… she can pick it up for me! Yes, I am saying that wryly. But hey, I did try to do what I said I would. It’s not my fault her car broke down before it got to the auto shop. So I reckon I’m justified in asking her for a favour, although I’m sure she’ll disagree.

I wonder what the problem ended up being. I’m not that clued in on how auto electrical systems work, but then maybe it had nothing to do with the battery. Who knows? Who cares?