it's on now.....

So I'm in the garage when it happened, just back from a 2-mile walk with the bride, and it's starting to get dark outside. Allow me to set the stage:

I'm working on Sara's scooter because the part I ordered for it came in yesterday's mail. I saw it on the dresser when I came home, and was a bit apprehensive about the project. I have the distinct misfortune of screwing things up worse than they originally were when I go to fix things. The instructions say 30 minutes to assemble? Multiply that by four for me. I usually feel mentally impaired during projects like that. So, Sara asked me about it approximately 3 minutes later with a "Can you fix my scooter, Daddy?" The look on her face was not unlike the look Sally Struthers used to have on her face when she asked for donations to feed hungry children. I told her that I'd take care of it after our walk. While the bride was changing clothes for our walk, I went into the kitchen to open the box and inspect the part. (The reason I'm having to install a new ignition is because the keys to the scooter have been lost. It came with 2 keys, on the same ring, and we never separated them. They don't sell the keys, but rather the new ignition with the keys. Nice.) So I look, and it appears to be very simple. It's even got a nice plug on the end of the wires that can be connected to the plug on the scooter, so I'm thinking it'll take 5 minutes, she'll be riding and I'll be the hero. Easy as that.

So we take our walk, and I get out my few tools to start the project. Taking it apart is no problem. Then I look at the wiring. No plug to connect the plug from the new part into. Great. So much for a 5-minute project. I strip the wiring, then realize that I have this great electrical wiring kit that I bought when I installed my car's CD player 3 years ago. (The manual said 90 minutes, it took me almost 7 hours.) So I use the kit, only to have the wires come undone. I hook them up again. Just as I'm lifting the wiring back into the scooter's housing, the dog (Wally - 50% beagle/50% basset/100% annoying) lets out this guttural howl. I'm concentrating on getting this thing fixed, so I'm almost in a zone - until I hear the stupid dog baying. I jerk, thereby disconnecting the wires again. I'm livid, having worked on the project for about 45 minutes. What's he barking at? Who knows with this dog! We once saw him barking at a leaf! So I go out to tell the stupid dog to shut up, and I see what he's barking at. A car is driving by with something sticking out of the sunroof. I immediatly think that it's some teenagers of a rival high school, because it looks like it's a flag they're waving and tomorrow night is Centennial's homecoming. The car goes to the end of the street, turns around and heads back my way. The driver is saying something, and I finally understand him: "It's on now! It's on now!" I then realize that it's my neighbor, Chad, waving his Alabama flag at me, taunting me about the UT/Alabama game this weekend. I started smiling and shaking my head. He may have thought that he ticked me off, because the look on my face was pretty stern, only because I was furious with the dog.

After supper, I created something on the computer to attach to his license plate that said "Beat Bama" and "Go Vols", with a couple of UT helmets on the sides and an orange and white checker board in the middle. Around 7:00, under the veil of darkness, I affixed this to his license plate with some very sticky tape. Chances are he drove to work without knowing about it. The beauty of this is that he has a University of Alabama plate. Perfect. Oh, and for good measure, I left a message on his answering machine a little earlier this morning. I didn't say anything, I simply put the phone receiver up to my computer speakers and played "Rocky Top".

Ah, yes, the UT/Alabama rivalry. Younger fans may think UT's biggest rival is Florida. That's more of a new thing, created by the cockiness of Steve Spurrier. But 'Bama is the team Coach Fulmer wants to beat most every year. He even mentions it when recruiting players by saying things like "I need you to help us beat Alabama". The game kicks off in about 27 hours. One thing I can't argue with Chad about is this - it's on now, baby.....

Oh, yeah, I was finally able to fix the scooter. And the spare key has been put away so that this won't have to be done again.....