It Was One of Those Nothing-Much-Going-On Days

February1960

GUSTAKES A LONG CHANCE

byMartinBunn

It was one of those "nothing-much-going-on days"-

then suddenly Gus was faced with

the toughest choice he'd ever had to make

Oneeyeontheclock,Stanhunguptheinspectionlamp,pickedupalubricantspray,andheadedbackunderthesmallEnglishsedanonthegreaserack.

"Holditaminute,Stan,"saidGus,emergingfromtheofficewherehehadtakenaphonecall. "WhatdidItellyouaboutusingthisrack?" Stanflushedunderthegreasesmudges.

"GuessIdidforgettoputdownthatsafetyprop. But,Gus-it'sonlyalightcar."

"Nothinglightabouttwenty-onehundredpoundsifitfallsonyou. Sure,theriskofthehoistvalvebleedingoffissmall. Butwhytakeanychanceyoudon'thaveto?"

"GuessItriedtorushit. Mrs.Dolanwantshercaratnoon." CarefullyStansetthepropinplace.

"Complainedofsqueaks,didshe?"

"Yes,butnothing'sloose,"saidStan. "Shockabsorbersaren'tleaking. Chancesareit'sthespringleaves,soI'llsprayonsomeoil."

"Hmm,beforeyoutakethatchance,Stan,domeafavor."

"Sure,Gus. What?"

"Readthecarmanual. Ileftitontheseathopingyouwould." Withthat,Guswalkedouttowherehiswreckerwasparked,whistlinginnocently.

SmilingattherememberedexpressiononStan'sface,Guswheeledthewreckeroveracountyroad,ashortcuttothepointontheturnpikefromwhichthecallhadcome. Therehefoundastalledmotorist. Anewfanbeltsoonputthedisabledcarbackontheroad. Thejobdone,Guslefttheturnpikeandheadedbackoverthesamewindingroad. Sunsparkledongrittypaving,thewrecker'smotorpurredcompetently,andGusfoundtimetowonderwhetherStanhadgotthemessageaboutMrs.Dolan'scar. Chanceswere-Gussmiledasthethoughtphraseditselfinhismind-thatStanhad.

Therewasn'tahint,onthatsun-drenchedcountryroad,thatGuswouldsoonbetakingalonganddeadlychanceofhisownchoosing. Thefirstinnocentcluetoitwasanalmostnewsedanahead. Asthewreckercreptuponit,Guscasedoffthethrottle. Theothercarwasdoingscarcely30,andGusfanciedheheardaskipintheenginenowandthen. Adoublelineforbadepassing,soGusstayedback. Astheroadbegantoclimb,thenewcarbarelymaintainedspeed.

Atthecrest,justbelowarailroadcrossing,Gusheardtheotherdrivershiftdown. Butthecarlurchedontothetrackonlytobucktoanabruptstop. Atthatmomentthecrossingblinderbegantoflashitsred-eyedwarning. Simultaneouslytheothercar'sstarterbegantogrind. Asitkepton,Gusrealizedtwothings: Theotherdrivercouldseeneitherblinker,andwiththestartergroaning,heprobablycouldn'thearthewarningbell. Butasheshutoffthestarter,theclangreachedhim. Themanbehindthewheelputhisheadout,thenrenewedhiseffortstostartthedeadengine.

"Whydoesn'thejump?"thoughtGus. Thecar'sstartergrounddesperately.

EvenasGuswasabouttogetoutandshouthiswarning,hesawsomethingthatimpelledhimtoact. Achild'sfaceroseintosightattherearwindow.

Quicklyshiftingintolowgear,Gusapproachedthecarasfastashedaredandnudgednonetoogentlyintothebumper. Thechildrosehigherinsurprise,andGussawthatitwasagirl.

Astheothercarmoved,anairwhistlescreechedoffside,andinasplit-secondglanceGussawadiesellocomotivebearingdown,itscabloominginthewrecker'swindow. Hefelthiswheelsbumpoverthetracks,sawthecarlurchsafelypastthefarblinker,andfeltashockofairasthetrainblastedby,inchesbehindthewrecker.

Thecaraheadrolledtothesideoftheroadandstopped. ItsdrivergotoutshakilyasGuspulledalongside. Aslender,sandy-haired,well-dressedmaninhislateforties,heevidentlyfoundithardtospeak.

"Thatwas-we-thankyou!"heblurted. "Knewitwastimetojump-butwecouldn't."

"Youcutittoofine!"exclaimedGus,butfellsilentasthedriveropenedareardoor. Thedarkhairedlittlegirlinbackworelegbraces.

"Shecanhavethemoffsoon,"herfatherexplained. "We'reheadedforthedoctornow. Butshestillcan'tmovequickly. I-Idon'tthinkwe'dhavemadeit,exceptforyou."

Gusmoppedhisdampface. "Badtimeforacartoactup."

Themanshookhishead. "No,itwasmyfault. Iknewitwastimefornewpointsagain. Pleasetowusinandinstallthem."

AsGusrolledintotheModelGaragewiththecar,Stanwavedandcalled. "Thanksforthetip,Gus."

"Whattip?"

"Aboutnottakingachanceonthatsqueakjob. Thiscarhasrubberspringbushes. Themanualsaidtopaintthebusheswithbrakefluid. Iusedrubberlube. Nomoresqueaks."

"Fine,WhileIeatlunch,youmightcheckthiscarforhardstarting."

Whenhereturned,hefoundStanreplacingthedistributorcap.

"It'sawonderhegotoutontheroad. PointsweretheworstburntIeversaw."

Stantouchedthestarter. Theenginecaughtatonce. "See? Newpoints. Gotarealhotsparknow."

"Okay,Stan. Makeoutthebill. Halfpriceonthetow."

"Half? Butitwasaroadcall-" "Specialcase,"snappedGus,andescapedintotheoffice. Foranhourhemadeoutbills,withanuneasysenseofhavingforgottensomething. Finallyheputhisheadout.

"Stan! Callmewhentheownerofthathardstartershowsup."

"He'sherenow,"saidStaninacuriouslyawedtone,andGussawthatthestrangerandthegirl,whomhehaddroppedoffatthedoctor'sdoor,wereintheshop. Guswentover.

"I'mRalphEmerson,"saidthestranger,"andthisisSusan. Itseemsthewholetownknowsyou,Mr.Wilson."

"It'sasmalltown,"answeredGus. "NowIremember! Didyousayitwastimeagainfornewpoints?" Emersonnodded. "SixthtimesinceI'vehadthiscar. Itburnsthemupintwoweeks. Nobodyknowswhy."

"Thecondenser'sokay,"volunteeredStan. "Icheckeditout."

"Everything'sokay,"agreedEmerson. "Butthepointsalwaysburn."

"Howaboutthecoil?"askedGus.

"Onemanputinanewoneamonthago. Hethoughtthefactoryhadinstalledasix-voltcoilbymistake. Butitmadenodifference."

"Didyoubuythecarnew?"

"Yes,atabargain. ThenIheardwhy. Thedealerhadboughtanumberofnewcarsfromanout-of-stateagencyinafloodedarea. Hehauledthecarshere,installednewwiringandsoldthematadiscount." Thewiringdidlooknew,withnosignofwaterdamage. Gusscrutinizedthethinprimarywiresconnectedtothecoilasifcountingthreadsintheinsulation. Disconnectingone,hehookedanammeterintothelineandturnedontheignitionbriefly.

"Ithinkwe'vegotit,"saidGus. "Stan,getmeanignitionpartslistforthiscar." Studyingtheshort,Guscheckedoneitemonit. Stanscurriedoffagain.

"Moretrouble?"askedEmerson.

"Theendofyourtrouble,Ithink,"saidGus. "Youwon'tneednewpointsforalongtime."

AsStandidthejob,Gusmotionedthecustomerandhisdaughtertochairsandbeganfillinghispipe. "Actually,yourdealerwasconscientious. Buthemadeamistake."

"Howso,Mr.Wilson?"

"Mostignitionsystemshavearesistorintheprimarycircuittoholdcurrenttoasafelimitonstartingandidling,wheneverythingiscoldandresistancelow. Nowsome1960carshavearesistorwireinstead. Themechanicwhorewiredyoursdidn'tknowthat. Herippeditoutandputinordinarywire."

"Butthecarranwellatfirst."

"Sure. Thecoildrewtoomuchcurrent,butgaveagoodhotspark-untilthatextrajuiceburnedthepoints."

Emersonstoodup. "IoweyoumorethanIcaneverrepay,Mr.Wilson. IfIcaneverdoanythingforyou,pleasegivemethechancetodoso."

Talkaboutbigshots,"murmuredStanasthecarpulledout.

"Who? Mr.Emerson?"

"Sure,he'stheSupremeCourtjudgeonthoserackettrialsinthecountyseat. Andhewantstodosomethingforyou." "Idon'trememberbreakinganylawslately,"laughedGus. "Andanyway,Igotthisjobwithoutinfluence. Infact,itwasmoreacaseofpushthanpull."

END