Charlie

powered-maddened males

Jay^^^

Every day women suffer the onslaught of power-maddened males.

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Thursday
May 3, 1990

This has been one crazy week. I have dealt with a steady stream of men customers trying to tell me the best way to work on cars. A few months ago they would not have bat a eye at the fact that I was the one working on their cars. For some reason every man who comes in has something smart to say. I think Big Jim has been running his mouth around town. I thank my lucky stars this hell week is almost over.

As I get up to ready for my day the anger over pig headed men l have dealt with all week flared up again to a amazing hight. I no longer care who I tick off. I have snapped at almost everyone who came into the shop save Cindy, Jay and my dad.

For today, I dress in my most comfortable clothing. I know it will be another hot day again today. So I grab a black tank top and old faded jeans. I slip into my favorite Georgia work boots. Now I am ready to make that 4:30am drive to the shop. God I hate morrings but because I have been getting up like this from a early age. It's hard for me not to do it.

I promised my dad I would be a good girl till he can decide on who will be the new guy. He has been giving trial runs to the different men who applied for the job of new auto mechanic.

They each worked a full day to see if they can handle the volume of jobs we do in a days time. Most of them have been just are a joke. I have done more rework this week than I care to talk about. For some reason they all seem to have forgotten how to work on cars. This has not helped my people skills at all. I am thankful today will be the last trial day.

"Good Morring girl!" Cindy's one women sunshine show greets me as I make my way in. The wonderful smell of coffee fills the entire customer area. I am so thankful she gets here early to do this.

"Good?" I question her. I am well known for not being the best morring person.

Cindy rolls her eyes and starts her age old conversation about my lack of good mood because of the fact that I don't have a steady man in my life. "You know if you find a steady fellow you would not be in such a foul mood in the morring." She wiggles her eye brows at me. "Get you some good loving at home you would be happier."

"I don't need a man. We have been through this. I don't know why you still try. I am not like you I only need a man when I need him." I tell her for the hundredth time.

"How do you know? You never let me set you up with someone," she complains. I didn't want the type of man she had in mind. They all wanted a little house wife.

"Come on Cindy, you know I am not into that." I huff as I try to make my coffee in peace.

She puts her hands on her hips. "Well just let me set you up once. You know Ted Stone is a nice guy." The guy was barely 5'6" with mouse brown hair. He was thin and a bank teller to boot. The total opposite of what I wanted, and she knew that.

"Cind....." I started my usual argument on why I could not go for this.

"Come on! You know you are going to need a good man to help you here. You can't run this place without a man." She knows from the look on my face that she has crossed the line with her last comment. I disappointed and even sad that Cindy thinks this way.

Before I can backfire on her Jay enters the shop he stomps his way to the coffeemaker a man on a mission. I step back and give him space to make his coffee. He and I both had the same views on coffee. We let nothing get in our way when it came to that first cup.