Don’t Be Looking Over My Shoulder!

A few days ago, my daughter’s car was parked behind mine in our driveway.  As she moved her car while I backed out, I noticed that one of the headlights of her car was not working.  Obviously, that would need repair before dark if possible.  A little bit later, we swapped vehicles, leaving me the cyclopean car.

Working on cars is not like it used to be.  In my younger days, I didn’t hesitate to tackle any maintenance job – rebuilding the engine in my parents’ old station wagon, replacing the clutch in my Porsche, rebuilding the disc brakes of my SAAB 900 Turbo, and so on…  The automobile manufacturers have not cooperated, however, and it has become increasingly difficult to do even the simplest things.  I pulled up a YouTube “How To…” video showing the necessary steps to replace the headlight bulb on a Ford.  Amazingly, it can be done without the full resources of a dedicated auto rebuild facility.  I opened the hood and in two minutes was holding the dead bulb. I headed to the nearby parts store confident that this was not going to require a second mortgage to pay for the repair. I was right!  The new bulb was less than $40 – but still an outrageous price for a light bulb.

After paying for the parts, I walked out and decided to do something that is very unusual for me.  Normally, I would go home to make the repair, but this was such a simple job, I would just raise the hood and install the bulb before I left. I opened the car door, removed the bulb from its packaging, applied the silicone grease, and opened the hood.

As I bent over the engine of the Ford to replace the bulb, I had just stopped moving when I heard a flapping noise to my left and behind me.  I turned my head in that direction and caught just a glimpse of shiny black movement.  As I turned my head back toward the engine, I felt it…a large bird had just landed on my back!  I have no idea what he was thinking because I was definitely a moving landing site!  I was not sure if he thought he could pick me up and carry me away, if he had been influenced by Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” or if he thought I was a pirate and he was my parrot.  I was not comfortable with this arrangement no matter what his thinking!  Not to mention that he was distracting and I was busy.  I tried to reach back and brush him off – he just hopped farther up toward my shoulders. I quickly twisted and raised up.  That got his attention and he apparently decided my back was not sufficiently stable after all.  I heard more flapping, felt the weight lift and caught a glimpse of black wings heading off to my right side…

I straightened up, but he was gone.  I don’t know what type of bird he was – he was big enough to be a medium-sized crow.  At least he didn’t claw or peck.  Fortunately, he also didn’t leave a messy reminder of his visit!

I don’t know what he was thinking, but I do know this – even simple car repairs now have new and unexpected consequences, delays and risks…and I REALLY don’t like somebody looking over my shoulder while I work!