Your Mileage May Vary

I am working for the summer delivering automotive parts from a central warehouse. One thing to know about this business is that the delivery trucks and vans are literally used until they cannot be used anymore. Probably easy to do since parts are readily available to be replaced whenever needed. It was not uncommon to get out on the road with a vehicle odometer reading with a three at the start. This happens when I get back early from a day’s deliveries.

Dispatcher: “Hey, do you have time to take a couple of trucks in for service?”

Me: “Sure.”

I hop into the first one and drive the short distance across town to the dealership owned by the same people, noting to myself, “Hmm, that’s a new one.” I arrive at the service area.

Me: “Hey, I’ve got a truck here for service from [Business].”

Technician: “Okay, what’s the mileage on it?”

Me: “I don’t know.”

Technician: *Looks at me like I’m an idiot.* “Well then, check the odometer!”

Me: “You mean the odometer that says, “error”?”

Yes, the digital readout literally said that. Thank goodness I never had to take that particular vehicle on a delivery run. The worst I was subjected to for a day had 840,000 miles on it.