Getting ready

Imagine a nice sunny weekend, the first of its kind in many months. At long last, there are no duties to be taken care of, there is nothing to be tended to. In such a state, what's the first thing your brain devises for you to do? Relax with a nice drink perhaps?

I know the answer.

Abstract trilogy

There was this series of movies called Star Wars – you may have heard of it. The series consisted of two trilogies describing the role of spaceships and glow-in-the-dark swords in the life of a man who buys a black suit to mark his mid-life crisis. Or something like that.

My Fića, however, is not a spaceship, but it does have a trilogy of its own – and just like Episode I, it at first appears to have nothing to do with the main story and the rest of the parts.

The elements

Some call it "snow." I call it "getting in the way." Worse still, I actually like snow.

It makes sense, I promise...

Despite being an active participant in my ongoing house renovations, I've still managed to get the Fića closer to the point of the formal 'de-embargo.' I've fixed the right sun visor, such that it now stays up, instead of just dangling about. The remaining minor bits that were pending are done as well, so the only thing standing in the way is the electrical misadventure.

Wait, I lied.

Theory

Fact: there are electrical gremlins – it's not the Fića's fault, but that of the unfortunate fellow that reinstalled the electrical system after the paint dried.

Fact: I will have to sort them out myself – regardless of what one might consider doing to balance the universe, the car is now half a world away.

A mind of its own

What you see above isn't just the Fića's engine running; it's an event. Although, it isn't so for the reasons you might expect.

This event doesn't occur if the battery and oil warning lamps do not light up beforehand. When you turn the key in the ignition of modern cars, most (if not all) of the warning lamps in the dash come on. When you crank the car, they begin to turn off. It's the same with the Fića.

The stone of wisdom

The stone you see pressed against the Fića's back tire is what we like to call the stone of wisdom (kamen mudrosti). Its inherent purpose is to keep the Fića from heeding the sloped driveway's calls of having it roll backwards and hug my fence.

Don't be fooled, though, the car is modern enough to have a parking brake. The thing is, it doesn't work.