Image of A Girl

Now, it’s my turn to be serious. I lecture, “I worked in the machine shop that my father ran, back when I was in high school. I learned what I needed to know to earn a living, a good living. However, I wanted more. I learned how to program the numerically controlled machines that produce the high end machine products. I also learned how to produce the specialty items that would enable me to start and maintain my own business. I produce parts that I design and build for specialty applications, mostly automotive applications. I know how to build the best and also what will sell to the market that I service. I still need more learning in the design area, but I not only continue to learn theory, but also to turn theory into actual products.”
Brenda then analyzes, “So, you don’t have a college degree, but you run your own company and also do some engineering work.”
Sensing what the lady wants to hear, I say, “I don’t have a college degree, yet. However, I’m still working on that.”
Brenda says, “You must have learned something already. That book I got for you is an advanced engineering text.”
(Brenda notices the details of what goes on around her, interesting. Brenda isn’t bad looking at all, but she doesn’t look like a movie star. Then again, I don’t look like a move star either.)
I laugh and lecture Brenda, “Lots of people think that hot rodders are dumb. However, if you get very deep into hot rodding, you get involved with some very complex engineering ideas. If you want to make changes to a vehicle, to improve performance, you better know exactly what you’re doing, or disaster results.”
Brenda asks, “Then, just putting a more powerful engine in a car isn’t the way to go?”
I again lecture, “A modern car is a fairly complex system. If you put in a heavier engine, it can affect handling, even if the new engine produces the same power as the previous engine. If you just dump in a more powerful engine, you may destroy the transmission, the differential, or even the drive shaft. All of the pieces of a car need to work together. You need to know what you’re doing.”
Brenda says, “Then, that’s why you got the engineering book.”
“Yes. I study all the time. I have learned some things, actually quite a few things, but I still have a lot to learn.”
Brenda says, “Do you ever have trouble talking to your customers?”
I laugh, shake my head in disbelief and tell her, “You ought to have to talk with some of the idiots who think that they know it all and want to do something that won’t work at all.”
Brenda smiles at me and says, “I don’t know anything about hot rods, but I’m pretty good at dealing with people. We get people who come into the library and want to check out a book that’s way too advanced for their level of knowledge. I can usually manage to get them to at least try a less advanced book first.”
(I can begin to see that there’s a lot more to Brenda than the girls that I usually date. She may not have some of the flash that the really pretty girls have, but she has other qualities that are more important. Best of all, the other qualities will still be there, after the pretty fades a bit. Something for me to think about.)
“Yes, I can imagine. You realize that you have a built in advantage in dealing with people. You’re a girl. If you have basic knowledge in a subject, some idiot might just listen to you, where he wouldn’t listen to another guy.”