Go Ahead, Back Up

As you probably remember, San Geraldo and I rented a car during the week and drove to a few garden centers. I told you about our plants (and our psychic) and I forgot to tell you about our "defective" rental car.

OUR TERRACE: THE WORK IN PROGRESS.

After visiting the second garden center, we had to back out of our diagonal parking space. San Geraldo couldn't get the car to shift into reverse. He tried pressing down on the stick. He tried pulling up on the stick. He tried again and again. Finally, I just got out and pushed the car out of the spot and hopped back in. We tried again to no avail at the third garden center. So, I got out and pushed again.

TIME TO GET CHAISE LOUNGES.

When we returned to the second garden center (where we ended up making all our purchases), San Geraldo had the "brilliant" idea to pull around into the diagonal spot so that he could drive right out, and therefore not require me to push when it was time to go.

IT'S RAINING AGAIN. (BUT I'M NOT COMPLAINING.)

San Geraldo didn't tell me about his brilliant idea. I simply watched his maneuvering and figured out where his addled brain had taken him. As he turned into the spot, I asked smartly, "So, what's the plan?" He realized the car was facing the right direction but now needed to be pushed backwards into the parking spot.

"Oops," was his response.

I got out and pushed. Just as he was about to turn off the engine, San Geraldo noticed a little ridge just below the knob of the stick shift. He discovered that if he simply pulled up on the ridge — and not the entire knob — the car magically went into reverse.

Who needs Abbott and Costello when there's Mitchell and Geraldo?

MY BROTHER CHUCK'S FAVORITE DUO PERFORMING ONE OF HIS FAVORITE ROUTINES.