Respect the can.
Over the years, the McHale's have long been addicted to the marvelous effects of a popular American toy, Starting Fluid. As a young whipper snapper, I quickly understood and respected the power of Starting Fluid. My family's shop always had a mower, motorcycle, car engine or a snow blower to start sitting in one corner or the other.
Ahh nothing like the smell of ether in the morning..
Family Holidays at my Aunt Margaret’s in Chama were normally filled with the sounds of cursing, kicking, throwing your shoulder out pulling on some starting cord that would break every 4th pull. Mostly all in the name of trying to start Clif's snowmobile, anticipating a ride which would take you far enough, that it would be a long miserable walk home when the thing died. However, crisis was always avoided, as soon as we found that elusive can of wrench monkey gold.
Even my in Army days, I carried a can of God's petroleum nectar under my HUMVE seat. Although, it's highly illegal to use starting fluid in an Uncle Sam’s diesel engine. A soldier had to quickly spray the fluid onto a shop rag then stuff the rag into the air intake, warm the glow plugs, start the truck and do all of this before the motor pool boss saw you- Boy, I was everyone's best friend on those cold Korean mornings...
This past Monday was mowing day, my favorite day. It's the every 14th day cutting cycle of the common urban fescue... As I drag the mower out, Seco runs for the bedroom, and I pull on the mower. Nothing.. I hear the words of my wise father chime in my head. "Well sonny, did you try stating fluid ?" Going to the garage I locate the starting fluid, grip it like a Clot .45 in my dirty hand thinking to myself its either the mower or me! With a long over dousing spray into the air cleaner, I pull on the starting cord, and WHAMMY! We have take off! As the afternoon wears on, the above statement is repeated nearly 17 times. As I finish mowing the last section of my Brazilian Style lawn masterpiece, on the last pull- the cord breaks.. Alas, the internal combustion engine gremlin had won again!
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