Making my daddy proud.

Today I had an opportunity to do something that would make my daddy proud.  This is probably the fourth time I have actually done this "act" since my daddy died and each time it makes me laugh.  

I had just pulled into the church parking lot to drop off books at the library.  I got the kids out of the car, Alex in his stroller and Jorge standing beside him.  A lady was in her car, next to ours, and was trying to start her car.  It was trying to "turn over" but to no avail.   I knocked on her window, as she was about to make a phone call on her cell phone, and asked if she still had power inside.  She rolled down her electronic window, which answered my question.  And here's how the conversation went from there (as it has gone with the others this has happened with):

Me: well, you still have power so its not your battery and the car is trying to "catch" which means its not the alternator, otherwise you would have just a clicking sound or nothing...so I believe the problem is with your starter.  

Her: (she laughs) oh okay.

Me: Can I try something?  I've done it before and it's no trouble.

Her: Sure (chuckling again).  This will be interesting.  Pregnant woman with two small children working on my car, but go right ahead. 

Me:  Do you have a crowbar?  Like with your spare tire?

Her: I don't think so.

Me: well mine is really hard to get to in the van, so pop your trunk and I will take a look.  

(she really didn't have a crowbar with her Jack so I grabbed the golf putter that was lying in the trunk.. i just need something long and made of metal).  

Her:  this is my husbands car so those are his clubs. 

Me: well I assure you this won't hurt.. the putter.  ;-)

I then walk over to her engine, locate the starter (hers was under her battery, literally..hadn't seen that before) and then bang on starter with the putter a few times and ask her to try to start the car.  Before she does she says "now if this works, my husband and my three sons are going to want to meet you!"  

It didn't work.  I did it again, this time much harder and.... cranked right up.  

Of course she was in shock and just kept laughing about how funny it looked to have a pregnant woman with two kids start her car in the parking lot, but I gave her my classic line, "ma'am, my daddy had three daughters and he was determined that we would know something about cars."  

The last time I helped someone with the same issue was a forty something year old man in a Wal-mart parking lot and I was in my early twenties.  He was fidiling around under his hood and I walk up and say "what's the problem?"  He was less than amused and thought I was a waste of his time since he needed to get back to "fixin' his car."  I have to say, he was probably the funniest reaction to the ordeal that I have had.  He wanted to call my dad right then and there.  It was too funny.  

Anyway, when I walked back into the church today as that lady drove off I got teary eyed thinking about how proud my daddy would be.  Although, he would probably say I need to start charging these people.  lol.