What A Blow!

I reached home almost around 8pm tonight. Was supposed to workout at the gym but changed my mind. Was kinda tired. I reached the gate and I turned off my car engine, thinking to park my car into the porch later. This would allow Mac some time to run around in the compound before being leashed up. Then I saw him behind the grille door, so I thought to myself...aiyah..might as well park the car. I went back to the car but I couldn't get it started.

Damn...what is wrong with the car? I changed my tyres last Saturday. At the same time I told the guy to check my car battery and he said, "Miss...your car battery still very power wor. No need to change". So with that assurance.......still very power, right....I didn't change my car battery. I kept igniting the car engine and finally got it started. Drove to the porch and turned it off. Then I tried to reignite again...over and over...it wouldn't work.

My dad then called his mechanic. So the mechanic came. Checked the car battery, turned on my flashlights and then said it's due to weak battery. Looks like I didn't have a choice but to change the battery. He charged me RM140 for the battery and it's one of those which I have to monitor the battery water level. Duh.....this isn't my preference. I wanted those which I didn't have to check on the water level. But he told me this type is better...longer lasting. Sigh....I had to give in. RM140......I said to him very expensive. I told him since he is taking my old battery back, he should give me a better discount. So he said RM5 for the old battery. Nowadays the value has dropped. Have you ever wonder, when it's their turn to pay us because they took our things, the story is always the same....ie Price has dropped. No value. But when they sell us things...they say...aiyoh...suppliers increase price, so we have no choice but to increase. So RM140 - RM5 = RM135. I told him...RM130 will do. And he agreed. Dad said price is reasonable but I do not think so. I was expecting to pay about RM110-RM120 for the battery. Any idea what is the market price for the battery. Anyway, when he replaced the battery, it triggered the car alarm. I saw him fondled around the steering area and then the alarm stopped. Then he left. The minute when I opened the car door, the alarm went off again. I panicked. I didn't know how to switch it off. I couldn't use the remote as it has no battery as well. Nobody was able to help me.

Dad didn't know what to do. He's been driving his antique car without alarm and auto lock. Edrik kept saying..mum...do something...do something. Aiyoh...I was so embarrassed. Must have disturbed the neighbours too. I got into the car and shut the door and the alarm stopped. Oh...I thought that settled my problem. But when I opened the door to get down, the alarm went off again. Gosh....I stared in despair. I opened the door and closed it, repeated a few times and the alarm stopped. I can't be going to work in that car tomorrow!! I don't want people cursing at me for making so much noise. It's like when you open the door, it triggers the alarm and when you shut the door, it does not necessarily stop the alarm.

Then I had an idea. While in the car, the alarm stopped crying. I decided to go hunting for a car accessories shop to help me. It was 9pm then. I went roaming several places and all shops were closed. I almost gave up when I spotted one particular shop still open. Wow...so happy. But I knew they were already closing up. It was already 9:15pm. I had to wait for my turn at the traffic light.

A second felt like 5 minutes. Coast clear, I drove across the road while traffic light was still red. I didn't have much of a choice. The shop was closing. When I arrived, the shutters were already down. Had to be thick skinned liao. Walked to one of the guys and with a pleading look I told him my problem.

He checked for me and even taught me the emergency button to press when the alarm goes off. He even told me to try pressing the button. Then I told him to replace my remote batteries which he did. He even tested a few times on the car to make sure everything was okay. Here's what I learned tonight. I learned where the emergency button for the alarm is....underneath the steering. I learned that when we use the remote, 1 beep means "doors locked". 2 beeps mean "doors unlocked", 3 beeps mean "doors not properly locked" and 4 beeps mean "your alarm had triggered earlier".

Honestly, I didn't know about all these. I somehow prefer manual lock because I tend to forget if I have locked my car each and every time I use the remote lock. But I have to admit, come rainy days, the remote lock is a better and wiser option.

I was pretty much like a mad woman tonight. It is during situations like this I would miss Edrik's dad. Whenever he is around, I never once had to worry about my car. He always make sure my car is in a tip top condition for me to drive, checking the car's internal and external.

Sighhhh....I guess good things just don't last.