A Battery Cable Story

Jack and I pulled into Safeway as we wrapped up our Friday evening errands for a couple of items for dinner. It was "dog day" type of afternoon in late September. We rolled past the building fronts and turned down what appeared to be an attractive aisle for parking. I was annoyed to see a car stopped in the middle with the occupant talking to an older Asian man. I waited patiently, which can be hard for me sometimes, and they finally ended their dialog. The man went and started talking to someone else as Jack and I pulled into our neighborless spot.

As I stepped out of the car the Asian man ran up to me with a somewhat desperate look on his face.

"Would you please give me a jump-start? My battery has died." He then pointed an aisle over to his semi-modern Toyota with his wife inside. Seemingly, or unseemingly, his two prior queries for help were fruitless.

Having just been through my own battery woes earlier in the week my initial annoyance with this man was quickly replaced with empathy.

"You bet", I replied and wheeled over in front of his car. He then pulled out his cables. They appeared to be $8 10 gauge connectors designed for a go-cart.

"Let's use my cables", I commented and saw the surprised look on his face as I immediately pulled my heavy duty 4 gauge cables (Thanks Dad!) out of my trunk. They had been out due to my own aformentioned woes several days prior.

I attached the cables and grimaced reluctantly after he got his car started as he proceeded to detach the cables directly from his car and then accidentally touch the positive and negative together creating a fireworks show of sorts. I quickly detached my side, accepted their gratitude, and Jack and I were off.