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One

Griffin

A watched pot never boils, but a watched mechanic will

I don’t remember how old I hen I first heardworse than a hoverer, and old man Dodson was a serial offender

“Are you sure you need to hit that so hard?”

Clench jaw Count to three “Yes”

“Is that really the right way to do it?”

Take a breath Don’t throw things “Yes”

“Are you going to be done soon?”

Not if you keep standing there asking me stupid questions

My te point, but since I really couldn’t afford to lose custo a smile

“Shouldn’t be too long now, Mr Dodson Why don’t you take a walk? Maybe grab a cup of coffee and a donut at the diner? By the tiet back, I’ll have your vehicle all ready for you”

The old-tireen pants “You knoifty Auto said they could have this done in half an hour And their price was cheaper than yours”

I gripped the wrench I was holding even tighter

Fucking Swifty Auto The fast food chain of autoh volume, low value, shitty rush jobs done on the cheap—but customers didn’t seelossy TV ads, and free cookies were er shop And they’ve got a different philosophy”

“But I’ve always brought uy Knehat he was doing I figure you’re a good honest guy too”

“He taughtI know,” I said In other words, I too knohat I’ cruller and let me finish this up You didn’t even have an appointment—I squeezed you in as a favor

Dodson exhaled and gave up “Guess I’ll take a walk then”

I watched hiin his old-ot back to work

“Da,” called McIntyre, the other e I owned the place, but he’d been working there al as I had We also had a helper—a “stack the tires” guy—whose real name was Andy, but we referred to hi him to hand me that wrench or hand me a towel or hand ine bay and couldn’t fucking find if my life depended on it

“Yeah, he is But he pays his bill, at least” I checked the clock on the shop wall “Hey, where the hell is Handht he was supposed to be here by seven It’s almost nine”