the Dumbass of the Year Award.
Yesterday, my girlyfriend was having car issues. I drive up to the gas station where she’s stranded, and we hang out for 2 hours. The kids are in the van, getting hot so I tell Alannah to turn the engine on so the a/c will run. She turns the key to ACC and leaves it there–without starting the engine. I find this out as we’re leaving the gas station. The lights work, but there’s not enough juice to turn the engine over. Soooo…I get a jump from Holly and go home.
This morning, Dad puts the battery on the charger and sets the timer for 3 hours, and lets me know that my car should be driveable this afternoon. Wonderful, thankyou Daddy . Around 5 PM I realize I need to go to the grocery store, hop in the van, and turn the key as I look up. Then, it happened….*bzzt POP*.
As I looked up while turning the key, I realized the hood was still up. As I heard the POP I realized…the charger is still hooked to the battery. After the smoke cleared a bit, I realized that it was still plugged in. The timer was in the “off” position, so I’m not really sure what happened. I disconnected the charger, and the van will start, but won’t stay running. I think I blew the alternator *cringes*.
I do give bonus points to Dad for not going off on a tirade. And I award myself bonus points for not answering his rhetorical questions at all, much less in my usual sarcastic way. Didn’t you see the hood was up? After I turned the key, I did. So I guess you didn’t see the battery charger then. No, Daddy, I didn’t. And I guess you didn’t know it was still plugged in. (no answer)
*sigh* I’m officially vehicle-less through my own absent-minded stupidity.
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