A Free Oil Change

I'm pretty sure it took me about 2.5 hours to get an oil change but it was free...so, maybe worth the wait?

Many years ago I had a diesel VW Jetta that I loved. This car was murdered by an oil change gone very wrong, the double filled my oil and emptied my transmission fluid, I never got anything for that car and I still owed on it at the time...so needless to say, I am VERY gun shy about getting an oil change and pretty much have only gone to the dealership and paid the exorbitant amount there for piece of mind.  Today the minivan was at 30% oil life and it'd been about 9 months since the last oil change. The girls were napping and it just needed to happen and it would get me out of the house for a bit. The Honda dealership was booked solid for days. Dave and I discussed it and decided on Wal-Mart. He thought it'd be thrifty, quick and trustworthy (a big corporation as opposed to a small mechanic would be insured against issues they created). Well, it was thrifty and thus far, no issues.

I drive over to Wal-Mart and I can't seem to find their tire and lube center. I had to sit in the parking lot and google "oil change nearby open now." I felt like an idiot but it was there. Challenge 1, complete! Found Wal-Mart's tire and lube center.  

I walk up the counter and one man is behind the counter. I ask if it's possible to get an oil change now. He yells over to a man putting something on the shelf who then walks over to assist me. The first man leaves. The new man is wearing a cute little red beanie rolled up and his name is Mondo, or maybe Manda. OK, I'm going with Manda. He has a very thick accent, a beautiful African accent, an accent that makes it difficult for me to understand all of his questions. But he is so gentle, sweet and friendly and I am glad he was assisting me.  He asks which oil change I would like. The cheapest one please. Then asks if the car takes synthetic oil. Er. Um. I feel like an idiot. I use to change my own oil. Now I don't even know what kind of oil my vehicle takes. He then asks the make, model and year of the car. Um, I uncertainly respond, "I think it's a 2006 Odyssey.  I may not be sure of anything about this car, but her name is Rhonda the Honda." We share a laugh. I feel like such an immature privileged white girl. Then the phone rings and Manda answers it. 

While I've been standing there someone else has arrived at the counter. Two short Hispanic  man.  He too had been directed to be assisted by Manda. This man also has a thick accent and I'm having a hard time understanding him too. But it sounded like he had gotten a flight tire that needed repair and he too didn't know how to do anything to his car. I commented on the fact that I'm pretty sure that just Manda worked here. He agreed and laughed.  In my mind I thought about Ms. Rabbit on Peppa Pig and how Ms. Rabbit does every job. This man was Mr. Rabbit. I didn't try to explain this to anyone else as I think the language barrier and the obscure reference would have gotten nowhere.

Manda gets off the phone and he asks me a question that I cannot seem to understand what he's asking. FINALLY, I realize he is asking if I have ever had the oil changed at a Wal-Mart but it sounds like WaMa I guess. I don't know, regardless, I feel like an idiot, again. "Sorry," I apologize for not understanding, "no," I say, "I haven't gotten the oil changed at the Wal-Mart." He smiles,"Well, let's go take a look then." He takes my keys and we walk out to the car.  He shows me the oil cap and how that shows me whether it's synthetic or not. Thank you sweet, wonderful man for the learning opportunity but I promptly forgot this information.

He says, "Good, now we know, synthetic; let's head back in and use the computer to look up the oil filter." The computer promptly sends him to the big thin paged book that has all the other car and filter options. I'm cracking up inside.  Then he walks out into the store and grabs one off the shelf. YAY! It's in stock! I laughed again realizing that this could have been an additional item to block me from getting this oil change today.  It seems as though I've easily been there for 30 minutes and we've barely determined what tools are needed and available to do this, seemingly routine, job. I offer my card, but he says to pay when it's completed. Challenge 2 complete! They are going to change my oil!  I go over and have a seat in the waiting room as Manda begins to help this guy who needs help with his tire(s).

In the waiting room there is one other gentlemen.  He is listening to music, resting his eyes, enjoying a few moments of peace through all the chaos of the season. I sit down and grab the remote and flip through TV stations. I rarity in my life anymore. I was pleased to find out I'm missing nothing and began to read my book. A Hispanic woman holding a tiny baby arrives and I help adjust some pillows for her to be more comfortable. She is joined shortly by another woman, her mother or aunt presumably.  The first gentleman that was resting his eyes is called and leaves and his place is taken by another black woman with a young daughter. She is maybe 6 or 7 years old. This woman speaks Spanish to her child. It was not that language or accent I expected from her. I enjoyed the melting pot of this Wal-Mart. I once again felt like I was in a movie. I began to fade, as the gentlemen that was in there when I arrived had done. But behind me I began to here a kerfuffle. At first I just mind my own business but then I think I should at least take a look at what's going on and check on the van. I've been here for awhile; maybe it's ready. 

I take a look outside. The van has moved. That's a good sign! I then realize how much water I'd had to drink and take a walk over the restroom before I go in search of the only Wal-Mart employee, Manda, to check me out. 

When I return from the long walk to the restroom filled with holiday Wal-Mart chaos I see everyone is still standing around looking out into the mechanic's area.  A new man is at the counter and I ask him about my vehicle. The man hands me my keys and I hand him my card. He says, "nope, it's already paid for." What? I'm so confused. This trip has been so surreal and now someone has paid for my oil change. What's going on here?  The employee said, "it's going to be a long night."  I say something like, "It's a Christmas miracle, I got a free oil change!" And the black woman with that was speaking Spanish said (in English) that she paid for my oil change. How did that happen? Do I owe you for it?

Turns out, the Hispanic woman and the black woman both came in for service on their car. The black woman came in for an oil change and the Hispanic woman for new tires.  They both were driving the same cars, Honda Pilots and they reversed their orders.  The black woman got new tires on her car and the Hispanic woman got an oil change.  The black woman heard them say that her car was ready so she went up and paid for it, along with some other purchases. But her car wasn't ready yet but her name is Holland. So when they said Holly your Honda is ready she went up and paid for it. Now, I come along and reap the benefits of the confusion for a free oil change.  This was such a strange state of affairs that I actually looked up at the security camera and said, "Hi Mom! Am I on Candid Camera."

As of a week later the van is still running, Wal-Mart has not come to be reimbursed for the oil change and Candid Camera has not shown up. Challenge 3 complete!