Stuff men say to a woman fixing a car

"You know how to do that?" 

Passerby yesterday, as I was lying underneath my friend's Renault replacing her spare wheel. Needless to say he was assured with some gusto that yes I do know how to remove, refit, move, change, maintain and if needed, throw a car wheel fitted with tyre at mansplainers....

Still, he was friendly enough and once we had established that I am a master with a torque wrench, a wheel brace, a jack and a can of WD-40, he even took my number in case he ever needed a non-registered mechanic. After all, I'd just made one car MOT-passable in two hours, think what I could do with any old wreck!

And yes, my own car is stringently maintained. You don't grow up with an aviator as a parent without learning a LOT about tinkering with engines, gears, brakes, wheels, wipers, windows and tyres.

And yes, I warned this chap that my hourly rate for non-friends is high. He said he could pay me in champagne but I laughed and told him I already have a bottle in my fridge. (Which I do, thanks auntie!)

"Yes, I can help. No, you don't need to make me a cup of tea."

Nice young Eastern European chap working on a nearby building site who came and stood on the tyre iron when my 60kg weight wasn't enough to make it move. Yes, you! You're lovely! I owe you a cuppa! Not least because he did what I asked, expected nothing except a thank you in return, and then left me in peace straight afterwards.

"You need to learn this stuff. You need to practise it over and over, because when you actually need this skill it'll probably be dark and cold and you won't have time to mess around. Also, if you don't know this stuff, mechanics will rip you off simply because you're female."

Papa Scott, and he has been so right (and CHEERS THEN to the garage who dropped the price by £80 on a job whose need was questionable anyway, simply because I threatened to call my dad). I love my dad for how much he has taught me about cars, engines, aeroplanes, physics, mathematics and engineering. Thanks to him, I can take apart, clean and refurbish roller skates, wheels and associated derby equipment LIKE A BOSS.

One day I might even listen to most of what Papa Scott says! But my brain isn't quite as huge a computer/calculator as his yet. Give it time.

Next stop, learning to fly!
And if you think I say that lightly, well...
Let's just say you ain't seen nothing yet, world ;)

#ThisGirlCan