In 1987, my mother drove a rusty Renault Encore that was small, unattractive, and perpetually breaking down. I was old enough to feel the embarrassment that came with it, often urging her to drop me off a block away from school so it would seem like I walked there.
Due to our financial struggles, we couldn’t afford to take that clunker to a mechanic, who likely would have suggested it be scrapped anyway. One evening, after another frustrating night with the car, my mother stumbled upon an infomercial for DIY auto repair books. Determined, she ordered a set and set out to learn how to fix the car herself.
Over the course of a summer, she became quite the mechanic. She mastered changing tires and oil, repaired the emergency brake, jumped the car countless times, and replaced belts, brakes, spark plugs, and even the clutch. By the end of the summer, we couldn’t believe how many times she had saved that Encore from the junkyard; it felt almost invincible.
Just before the new school year began, my mother received a call from the university notifying her that she’d been selected for an interview from the temp-secretary pool. This job could mean enough money to alleviate the constant worry about food and bills. The campus was a 25-minute drive north, and the question loomed: Would the Encore make it?
The day before her interview, she practiced typing drills on our electric typewriter and quizzed herself on taking dictation. By the afternoon, our neighbor arrived with a classy navy blue dress and beige pumps for her to borrow, so she could look the part.
On the morning of the big interview, my mother rushed us through breakfast and dropped me off at school 45 minutes early, hoping to beat the interstate traffic. I spent my day chatting with friends about sunburns and growth spurts while secretly worrying about her.
Later that evening, my mother shared how the interview went. She arrived 15 minutes early and made a fantastic impression on the human resources representative. The hour-long interview went smoothly; she was well-prepared for all the common questions they asked.
After the interview, she returned to the parking lot and, just as she got into the Encore, it emitted a dreadful noise and puffed out smoke—the muffler had fallen off. Undeterred, she removed her borrowed pumps, grabbed a floor mat from the backseat, and knelt in the parking lot to reattach the muffler just enough to drive home.
The HR lady who had interviewed her saw this scene unfold and approached my mother. “Do you need help?” she asked. My mother replied, “That’s very kind of you, but I’ve got this covered. It just takes a bit of grit and determination.” Remarkably, she was hired on the spot.
A few months later, that car finally gave out for good. From that point on, I never felt embarrassed about being dropped off at school again.
For more insights about navigating challenges in life, check out our other posts on topics like home insemination, found at this link. If you’re looking for authoritative information on home insemination kits, Cryobaby is a great resource. Additionally, for broader topics related to pregnancy and fertility, Medical News Today is an excellent source.
In summary, my mother’s resourcefulness and determination in the face of adversity taught me invaluable lessons about resilience and problem-solving.