Ah, That's Why I Don't Do That For a Living

I spent the afternoon detailing the interior of my car.

And yes, I mean the ENTIRE afternoon. I was literally vacuuming after dark. In the dark. Can't wait to see how well I did when the sun is actually up.

I've been driving a 2000 Honda CR-V since ... well, 2000 ... and it's been a wonderful driver/vehicle relationship. An SUV is what I wanted all through college, so when I finally got one, it was like I had finally arrived. Granted, I had been out of college 11 years when I finally arrived, but I had arrived, nonetheless.

So today, I was prepping my car for sale. Now I've detailed the interior of a car before when we were loaning out a van or something like that. And I actually enjoy it when I have time to do it ... and do it RIGHT. Out comes wipes, paper towels, cleaner, and TOOTHPICKS.

I don't know what the professionals use, but toothpicks are the key for getting gunk out of those little lines and crevices that are all over a vehicle's interior. I think the manufacturers create them just to agonize owners. Not really, but maybe. I mean, it's not a conspiracy theory. Just some engineered tactile elements that can be very aggravating. Dirt collects there, people. Gunky dirt.

So here I was, struggling with the mixed feelings of getting ready to move on with another vehicle and the joy of accomplishing something ... actually thinking that car detailing would be a fun job. Until I remembered what I needed to tackle.

A melted yellow crayon.

You know ... crayons really don't belong in a car. Cars get hot. Crayons get forgotten. Put the two together, and you have an issue. And the user of the crayon does not have the accountability to clean it up. Issue elevates to crisis. And I'm the crisis manager.

No toothpick was going to handle this. It required elbow grease. It required strategy.

It required boiling water.

I'm serious ... boiling water to melt it loose ... twice. Once to get up the majority of it, then again to get out the yellow tint that had coated the little tray in the center console. Ugh.

I'm guessing folks who detail cars have encountered melted crayons before. And had it been in the upholstery, I really would have been mumbling.

But thank you Lord ... You don't have me detailing cars. Not that I wouldn't do it if called, but let's just say I'm not seeking that out.

Particularly those vehicles with crayons. Or those whose drivers own a number of pets. Double-ick.

And BTW ... for those of you still hanging on for the rest of the story ... yes, my car is staying in the extended family.

So I'll have visitation rights.