onthedashboard.Thespeedofhercarsuddenlyslowedtoalmostastopandcrawledalonglikeanoldoxpullingabrokencart.Megginnwasgreatlyarmedandimmediatelypulledhercartoastophesidewalk.Shequicklyturnedoffalthesystemsinherdsatthereataloss,notknowingwhathadhappened.

    Megginheblueskiesasifhopingtooncematherstrengthfromtheeretchofblueatmospherehighabove.Shegraduallyclosedhereyeswhilekeepingtheimpressionoftheclearblueskiesbeforeher.Shetookthisimpressiooherheartaherfearandarmquicklysubside.Shewasoncemoreatpeace,herbraincalmandcool,hersensessharpandagileasbefore.Afteradjustingherselfmentally,sheopenedhereyesandtriedagaintostarthercar.Owice.Thriothinghappehisluxuriouslimousinehadreallystalledandbrokedownbytheroadsidelikeapileofrubbish.Thestrahingwasthiscarracticallybrandnew,havingjusteofftheassemblinglisolongagoandhadbeenperffwlessly.Thebrandselfwasaguarahehighestquality.Howcouldithavebrokendownsoquickly?Fromthewayitwasagup,thetroubledidobeaminorone.Somethingwasdrasticallywrong.Butwherewastheproblemandwhydidthishappennow?Megginnagainlookedtowardstheblueskieswhilehermindracedbackfranticallytothetimeshedrovethecaroutoftheparkingstructureaovereverythingshehaddonesihen,notoverlookihesmallestdetail.Suddenlyshefoundthecruxofthematterandexcimedoutloud,“Ohgosh!That’sit!”Sherealizedthatthemistakehadbeenmadewheookthegasnozzleoffthehanger.Shehadieddieselfuelintastankinsteadurunleadedgas!Faseheinfluxequantityofdieselfuelwasdetrimental.Megginnsppedherthighwithherhandasifangrywithherselfandmuttered,

    15

    “WhatafoolIwas…Ihadnotbeenfeelingquitemyselfsinceearlythism,buthowcouldIbesoabsent-mioadddieselfuelinsteadofgasintomycar?WhatIdidwasequivalenttomurderingthisnoblebrandnamecar.Evehadbeeslifespanwouldsurelybeshortened.”Megginnwasaverysealpersonarmlyattachedtopeoplesheknewandthingsshehadusedandneverdiscardedoldthingslightly.Itwasnotthatshewascheap,butwasbecauseshewasseal.Takethatoldbeige-coloredsedanofhersforexample.Itwasthecarshehadriddeninsinceshewasachild.Itcouldbesaidthatthecargrewupwithherandtoheritwasadearoldfriend,olderthanshewas.Althoughtheehejalopydidnotworkwelnymoreandtookalongtimetostart,Megginnwasnotwillingtodumpitinthejunkyardtobedismemberedandcrushed.Shethoughtthatwasnowaytotreatanoldfriend.Sotoosoft-heartedtodisposeofit,sheletthatoldbeige-coloredsedanstayinhergarage,nolongerused,butretireditinfort.Ifthatwasthewayshetreatedoldfriends,shecouldfeelnolessforherbrandname,newfriendwhomitseemsshehadunwittinglymurdered!Thatregrettablefactcouldn’thelpbutmakehersadlyrepentant.Buttheblunderhadbeehereossiblerecoursetoresortto.

    Eyesreddenedandmoistened,Meggiobeonthevergeoftears.Shewastrulyremorsefusicktobetheonewhohadactallycausedhernewfriendsuchseriousharmwithoutmeaningto.Sheusedherhandstosoftlystrokethesteeriheluxuriousleatherseatbesideher,hopingtofortthisnewfriendwithhercaressingtouch.Butwhatwasdonewasdoneandcouldnotbeuerawhile,shebegantoughdisparaginglyandhysterically,

    “Thesestfewdays,mymoodhadbeensoabnormandabsent-miomakemeadddieselfueltomygastank…It’s

onthedashboard.Thespeedofhercarsuddenlyslowedtoalmostastopandcrawledalonglikeanoldoxpullingabrokencart.Megginnwasgreatlyarmedandimmediatelypulledhercartoastophesidewalk.Shequicklyturnedoffalthesystemsinherdsatthereataloss,notknowingwhathadhappened.

    Megginheblueskiesasifhopingtooncematherstrengthfromtheeretchofblueatmospherehighabove.Shegraduallyclosedhereyeswhilekeepingtheimpressionoftheclearblueskiesbeforeher.Shetookthisimpressiooherheartaherfearandarmquicklysubside.Shewasoncemoreatpeace,herbraincalmandcool,hersensessharpandagileasbefore.Afteradjustingherselfmentally,sheopenedhereyesandtriedagaintostarthercar.Owice.Thriothinghappehisluxuriouslimousinehadreallystalledandbrokedownbytheroadsidelikeapileofrubbish.Thestrahingwasthiscarracticallybrandnew,havingjusteofftheassemblinglisolongagoandhadbeenperffwlessly.Thebrandselfwasaguarahehighestquality.Howcouldithavebrokendownsoquickly?Fromthewayitwasagup,thetroubledidobeaminorone.Somethingwasdrasticallywrong.Butwherewastheproblemandwhydidthishappennow?Megginnagainlookedtowardstheblueskieswhilehermindracedbackfranticallytothetimeshedrovethecaroutoftheparkingstructureaovereverythingshehaddonesihen,notoverlookihesmallestdetail.Suddenlyshefoundthecruxofthematterandexcimedoutloud,“Ohgosh!That’sit!”Sherealizedthatthemistakehadbeenmadewheookthegasnozzleoffthehanger.Shehadieddieselfuelintastankinsteadurunleadedgas!Faseheinfluxequantityofdieselfuelwasdetrimental.Megginnsppedherthighwithherhandasifangrywithherselfandmuttered,

    15

    “WhatafoolIwas…Ihadnotbeenfeelingquitemyselfsinceearlythism,buthowcouldIbesoabsent-mioadddieselfuelinsteadofgasintomycar?WhatIdidwasequivalenttomurderingthisnoblebrandnamecar.Evehadbeeslifespanwouldsurelybeshortened.”Megginnwasaverysealpersonarmlyattachedtopeoplesheknewandthingsshehadusedandneverdiscardedoldthingslightly.Itwasnotthatshewascheap,butwasbecauseshewasseal.Takethatoldbeige-coloredsedanofhersforexample.Itwasthecarshehadriddeninsinceshewasachild.Itcouldbesaidthatthecargrewupwithherandtoheritwasadearoldfriend,olderthanshewas.Althoughtheehejalopydidnotworkwelnymoreandtookalongtimetostart,Megginnwasnotwillingtodumpitinthejunkyardtobedismemberedandcrushed.Shethoughtthatwasnowaytotreatanoldfriend.Sotoosoft-heartedtodisposeofit,sheletthatoldbeige-coloredsedanstayinhergarage,nolongerused,butretireditinfort.Ifthatwasthewayshetreatedoldfriends,shecouldfeelnolessforherbrandname,newfriendwhomitseemsshehadunwittinglymurdered!Thatregrettablefactcouldn’thelpbutmakehersadlyrepentant.Buttheblunderhadbeehereossiblerecoursetoresortto.

    Eyesreddenedandmoistened,Meggiobeonthevergeoftears.Shewastrulyremorsefusicktobetheonewhohadactallycausedhernewfriendsuchseriousharmwithoutmeaningto.Sheusedherhandstosoftlystrokethesteeriheluxuriousleatherseatbesideher,hopingtofortthisnewfriendwithhercaressingtouch.Butwhatwasdonewasdoneandcouldnotbeuerawhile,shebegantoughdisparaginglyandhysterically,

    “Thesestfewdays,mymoodhadbeensoabnormandabsent-miomakemeadddieselfueltomygastank…It’s