Wednesday, 20 June 2001 | Big bang

I gave my car to the shop this morning, along with a long list of problems that needed to be fixed (OK, four things long, which is pretty long in car-terms). In fact, yesterday, when I told the attendant what I wanted done, he just wrote the word "list." I've been bringing my car to these people for about a year now, since developing a mild half-trust with them, the kind reserved for repair people and hairdressers and generally those that have the potential to mess up delicate things badly. They're very friendly, but sometimes latch on to some strange or traditionally taboo topics of conversation. Once I was there with Ingo when they asked him what he did for a living. He told them he is a scientist, and one guy immediately jumped in, (referring to the Big Bang theory) "So you think you can bang two rocks together and get all this? [motioning to things around him] We can go out in the parking lot right now and test it out, if you want." I don't remember Ingo's response in detail, but I remember it being quite eloquent and polite.

So the damage is going to cost me one week's salary, which (un)fortunately(?) isn't much.

Also: I've put up some pictures from a trip I took to the U.K. in 1998.