That Mechanic Down The Street...

?My neighborhood was an incredible place to grow up. Most of the families have moved on for various reasons but when we were all there together—it was truly special. 

We had a church directly across the street, a corner store with a dry cleaner, a gas station and, I promise you, an Oriental place that made hands down the best hamburgers…ever!

When it came to people it was just as special. My mother’s three best friends all lived within shouting distance of one another—and back then, they’d have entire conversations without leaving their front porches. I can still remember them bellowing out responses up and down the street. It was a sight to see—and hear.

My buddies, pals, or “aces” as my father used to call them were right there too. Let me tell you, we became so close, so connected that we intuitively knew when to come out to get the fun started. 

The neighborhood also had a mechanic a few doors down…but get this, his car sounded like at any point in time…it was going to fall apart. I mean, every single time he started it you’d hear backfires, loud groans and sounds only a car in distress could make. Funny thing I learned years later is that one of the guys used the sound of that car…as his alarm. Yes, when he heard that car starting he knew it was time to get up for school. 

One morning I remember sitting down at the table, eating breakfast with my father and that car cranked up. That car cranked up and made all the noises it usually makes—and a few more. Without looking up my father said, “That guy is one heck of a mechanic”.

Confused, I looked at him and asked, “If he’s such a good mechanic, why does his car sound like that”? No sooner than I could finish my question did my father put his fork down, take a nice sip of his coffee and say, “Because he’s always so busy fixing someone else’s car…he doesn’t have time to fix his own”.

“That’s why his car looks that way, that’s why it sounds that way. He keeps it in good enough shape to get by, but he never can get to it, because he’s always on someone else’s car”. 

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This week friend take a minute to check on that…mechanic in your life. I’m not talking about the one who fixes your car, I’m talking about the one whose always there to fix your, and chances are, a host of other lives…

You know the one that’s always there when someone needs a shoulder to cry on, always has a little extra cash, never turns down a call and always returns a text, keeps a place for a friend to lay their head, is quick to fix a meal, will ride or die…or just listen. 

That mechanic might even be you…

Check on them. Chances are, they might need a little work too. They’re just so busy fixing everyone else’s…that they can never find time to fix their own…