Car Washes

So there I was, eating my breakfast in the car and waiting my turn for the car wash. After I had finished eating and cleaning out all the nooks and crannies in the front seat, I was STILL waiting my turn. It was then that I had one of my "brilliant" ideas. Gary will tell you that most of my brilliant ideas are anything but brilliant but I give into them almost every time they hit anyway.

I thought to myself, "Why am I waiting in line for the automatic car wash that will cost me more when I can move to the self-serve in the next stall over and get some exercise while saving some money?" OK, I know using the spraying wand thing hardly counts as exercise but......

So I popped the car in reverse and slid over all the while smirking and thinking that the poor guy in front of me will probably still be in the automatic wash as I drive off with my sparkling clean car.

I get out and try to put in my crisp new $5 bill about ten times before I realize that the machine must not be able to read the new format for the $5. By this time the guy in front of me has pulled into the automatic wash and I can hear the water spraying. I pull out the debit card and after a few attempts, I get it to work and the fun begins. It says it will only charge up to $5 at a swipe so I am thinking I will be getting off cheap. After all, the automatic wash is $7. I start washing away.

About half way through the cycle of choices, I hear the dryer go on in the automatic wash and a minute or so later, see my "competition" drive off. A few seconds after that, the wash stops because I have used all my $5 worth of time. MAN! I still need to rinse, clear coat, rinse, triple foam coat, rinse, and spot free rinse. By this time my fingers are frozen - did I mention it was only 40 degrees and I'm only in a sweater?

Well, $10 and a few frozen fingers later, my car is sparkling clean. It took twice as long as it would have to wait in line, $3 more to clean it, and it wasn't dry like it would have been but I guess I still did get the exercise I was looking for! You should have seen me when the high power spray started! I could barely stay on the ground. Note to self: wear good shoes if you want to wash your car and be prepared with time and quarters!