Mechanics 101 - Shifting Gears By Lugnutz

Chapter Two

"But Niiiiiiiiiige...................." I whined.

"Come on, get your butt out of bed. We got stuff to do today." Nigel made a move to grab the sheets covering me.

"Oh no you don't!" I pulled the sheets tight.

"Ok, you have three minutes, then I'm coming back with ice."

"Yes dear." I said, feeling defeated.

Geesh!! It's 6am, on a Saturday. This is inhuman. I tossed the sheets aside, and proceeded to the bathroom and got the morning ritual out of the way.

"Good morning, sunshine!!" Nigel said as I made my way to the kitchen.

"Who's idea was this anyway?" I muttered.

"Yours. I'm not crazy enough to get up this early on a weekend." He said, with a bit of humor.

"Oh yeah." I mumbled. I still wasn't awake fully yet.

"Come on, we're supposed to meet Jake and Jeremy, and get to the track. The bus leaves in fifteen minutes."

We were talked into going to the track for this two day event at the drag strip, and we're going to help Jake and his new partner Jeremy with their car. They didn't need to beg us to go though, since we wern't racing that weekend anyway.

Jake met Jeremy at the track, after Jake blew his engine up. Jeremy had a nice engine and no car because his car got totaled at the track a few weeks earlier when a piece of the rear suspension broke, sending the car into a tumble. They finally met the weekend after Jake blew the engine, and set a partnership up.

Personally, I think they look good together, but I don't think either of them knows that one has a fancy for the other. Their cute to watch.

"Darren, get your butt in gear, we got to go." I think Nigel is a bit anxious, but what the hell.

"I'm moving, I'm moving, you grumpy sod." I shot Nige a mischievous look.

We hop in the car, and head to the restaurant we all decided to meet at, and get some breakfast, then go to the track.

"Dang! Looks like we're not the only early risers here." I say. The entrance gate at the track was backed up into the road, because the gate wasn't open yet. We get our place in line, in front of Jakes truck and park until the gates open.

"Cripes!! At least we can get a decent pit stall now. I forgot the turnout a national event brings." Jakes says, not too suprised by the line waiting.

"Want to go over the race strategy for this weekend?" Jeremy says.

"Yup, we race, we win. How is that?" Jake says, having fun with Jeremy.

"Good enough for me, what about you two?" Jer looks to Nige and I.

"Don't look at us, we're just here for the free hot dogs and Goodyear freckles."* Nige said, deadpan.

"Cool guys, I just hope you brought the hot dogs and fixins. You did, didn't you?" Jake asked, looking serious.

"Sure did, their in that big box over there." Nige points to the concession stand. "All you can scarf." Nigel started laughing, and that got the rest of us going.

After waiting over a hour for the gates open, we find a nice pit spot, and settle in for the weekend. Once J & J get the car off the trailer, we give it a through look over and dust it off, then wait for the call to the staging lanes.

Jake does a great job driving the car, and Jeremy is spot on with the tune up, as the car runs the same number pass after pass. It gets to the end of the day, and we have advanced far enough to be able to race Sunday, so we get the car loaded, and leave, in search of dinner.

We found a nice sit down restaurant, and found what we wanted, then placed our order. The place was deserted for the most part, so we didn't have to watch what we said.

"Nigel...." Jake leans over the table a bit and asks quietly.

"Yeah?"

"I think I'm going to shoot myself in the foot for this, but........... how close are you and Darren?" You could tell he was nervous, just asking.

"What do you think?" Nige asked with some uncertainty.

"I think..." He looks around to make sure no one was listening. "You both are closer than you let on, not that I have any problems with it, It's just................" He started sweating some, so I decided to interrupt the conversation, and let him off the hook, by getting it out in the open.

"Jake, I know what your getting at, and your right. Nige and I are together, for the long haul." I said with complete confidence. Then continued.

"My question to you, Jake, is," I took a glance to Jeremy, then back to Jake. "Is when you and Jer are going to say something. I can see it, and it looks good"

Jeremy turned pale while Jake started stuttering.

I wanted to let things rest for now, so we wouldn't starve.

"We can talk about this after dinner, just come to our house. Is that ok with you two?" They looked at each other and nodded an affirmative.

"Good! Lets eat." I was starving.

The conversation turned to today's race, and what is going to happen tomorrow.

"The car felt good today, I don't think we were a tenth off our time the whole day. If the air is better tomorrow, we can go faster, but we will take what we can get." Jake summed it up right.

"Damn straight!" Nigel said.

"Straight? Hardly." Jeremy said. I didn't think someone could blush that deep of a red. That set our table off in hysterics.

We settled the bill, then got in the car. I, at the last minute got out of the car and pulled Jeremy out of the truck and had him ride with Nigel, so in case we got separated, Jake wouldn't get lost.

Once we got rolling, Jake pipes up.

"Pretty perceptive, aren't you?" His words held no malice.

"That, and I have a big mouth. I couldn't sit and watch you two make eyes but not make a connection, so I said something. I just hope I didn't overstep my bounds saying anything." I was a bit nervous being that blunt.

"Actually, I think I owe you one. And, you were right, there was something there, but I was scared shitless of saying anything to him, thinking he would turn tail and run. You did us a favor and I, umm, we thank you." He reached over and patted my shoulder. I felt better now.

I was wondering what kind of conversation Nigel was having with Jeremy.

We finally pulled in the driveway, and got everything parked, Nige grabs me and we take the guys on a tour of the place. We started with the barn, of course.

Nigel gives the tour.

"Here is my next sleeper." He said, pointing to the Fiero. "It's getting a heart transplant as soon as I can find someone that can build up the transmission so it won't self destruct on me."

"What are you putting in it?" Jake asks.

"I splurged and got a 454 small block Chevy, it should give your Camero a run for it's money when it gets dialed in."

"Your going to rip that poor car in half!!" Jeremy exclaimed.

Nige started laughing. "Darren said the same exact thing when the engine got shipped."

"No wonder your worried about the transmission, I would be too." Jake said, in awe.

We walk over to the vette, still covered up. We pull the cover off, and  hear a pair of "Woah's."

They were over the car like stink on poo, asking questions, then Nige opens the hood.

Jake is the first one under the hood.

"Are those the original aluminum heads? Tri power too?? Holy cow!!" He was obviously impressed. Then Nige told them the story behind it.

"This car is a piece of history, and you pound the crap out of it, I wanna shake your hand." Jake was still beside himself.

"Ok. You bums about done out here?? I'm thirsty." I was getting antsy to get in the house.

"I think we're done in here, unless those two" Pointing to Jake and Jer "Aren't done drooling yet." Nige said, chuckling.

"Yeah, we're done. I'm thirsty too." Jeremy said.

We get the cover back on the vette, closed the barn up, and head in the house. Once settled in the house, I got our illustrious guests a drink, then sat down.

Jeremy was the first to speak. "How did you two hook up? This isn't exactly the big city here."

"As long as you two have time, we'll tell you." Nige answered.

"Well, we don't have to be back to the track till morning, so, we have time." Jake said. patiently waiting.

"Well, it started................" Nigel and myself regaled them in our tale. Telling them most everything that happened since the beginning. It took the better part of two hours, along with the inevitable questions through the story.

"What about you two?" I asked.

"What are the odds?" Jake started. "I never really believed in fate controlling where we go or what happens, but right from the get go, there was something there, right from the time I seen Jer coming to me at the track the first time. I still can't believe we're actually talking about this, never seen it coming."

"Yeah, it's a trip, but we're not beating around the bush anymore, are we?" Jeremy started with. "I'm glad it's out in the open now. Maybe we can concentrate on racing now. One thing for sure, Jake. We are going to have a long talk in the next couple days, because if we do this, it will be on even ground. Does that sound good?"

"Sounds better than good, it sounds great." Jake took a look at Nige and I, then said "Who would've known? Racing a BMW, blowing my engine in the process, meeting you two later that day, then meeting Jer the next week and hammering out a partnership, all the way to today. Nobody could write a book like this, it's too odd, but I'm not complaining." I thought I seen a tear roll down his cheek.

Jeremy got up from where he was sitting, and knelt in front of Jake, looking him in the eyes, then giving him a tight hug.

"It don't get no better than this." Nigel said to nobody in particular. Feeling proud.

"I'd hate to dispute you, Nigel, but what about tomorrow?" Jake said, feeling frisky.

"If we win, we are having one hell of a victory party, right here, heck we got the room for it." I told them, getting a bit excited.

"And, if we don't win?" Jake looked sad.

"Then, it will be a coming out party, us and a few close friends. How does that sound?" Nige said, with some finality to it.

"Sounds good. But we're NOT painting the car pink!!" Jeremy said that, and the mood was suddenly lightened.

"Now there is an idea, we can use it as a psychological advantage. Think of the possibilities!" Jake was having fun with this.

All of a sudden, three voices raised a sound "HELL NO!!" Motion carried, the car stays white.

Jeremy let out a yawn, and when I heard his jaw pop, I looked at the clock.

"Dang, it's 2:30am, and we have to be at the track by 8am, you guys want to crash here tonite?"

"Yeah, we better." Jake looked to Jer with a question in his eyes, and Jer did a slight nod. "You have a spare bed that'll fit two?"

"Yup, but you'll be tight on it, It's a double, but it's yours if you want it." Nige tossed the offer to them.

"That will be fine, lets roll, I'm beat." Jake slurred.

I closed the house up while Nige showed the guests to their quarters. Once I was done, I went to our room and gave Nigel a firm hug and a peck on the cheek.

"It's been a wild 24 hours, hasn't it?" As I remembered the day.

"Yes, it has, but if you don't get up on time later, you are getting no warning, I'm getting the ice right off." Nige chuckled.

"Your mean." I told him as we climbed in bed.

"Just stating the facts ma'am."

"Oh, you want facts huh?" I pulled the sheet over his head, and let a good one go.

"AAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! I'm dying!!!" Nigel cried.

"Good night darling"

To Be Continued.........

*Goodyear freckles is a term used to describe the rubber that gets on you when you get too close to the car while it does it's burnout.*