Chapter 3: Muscle cars
"You must work out." The teen said from behind him.
Ray turned his head "Eh?"
The teen was staring at Ray's abdomen.
"Oh uh.. yeah I guess I do, but I also work here, this job requires a lot of moving around heavy stuff, and using your arms."
"Yeah, but still, you should be a model. You'd make a lot more money."
Ray chuckled, "Yeah I would, but I like my job."
Ray got onto the creeper and slid under the car.
"So, what's your name?"
"Oh, my names Ray. How about you?"
"Lincoln."
"Well nice to meet you Lincoln."
"Yeah you too."
Ray noticed some oil leaking from the front area of the car.
"Uh, when did the hissing noises start Lincoln?"
"Oh, It started when I was headed to school. I turned onto Battle Ground, and then I hear a loud hiss coming from my car. Then I came here."
"I was wondering why you weren't at school on a Thursday, anyways I think I know what's wrong with your car."
"Really?"
"Yup." Ray slid out from under the car and walked over to the hood.
"What is it?"
"Your engine probably overheated, or your radiator is leaking."
He lifted the hood of the car and scanned the interior, he grabbed a cloth and padded the radiator down to see if anything came off on the cloth. Nothing.
"Okay, it's not your radiator."
"So it's the engine?"
"Yeah, most likely it is." Ray put on some thicker work gloves and felt around the engine. It was hot.
"Yup, it's the engine."
Ray opened the car door and turned the A/C off, and then turned the heat on. He waited for a minute or two and then checked to see if the engine had cooled. He opened the radiator cap slowly with a thick rag and checked the coolant. He replenished the coolant and took his gloves off.
"All fixed."
"Wow that was fast."
"Uh yeah, it's a pretty quick fix up."
"Anyways, how much will I be spending today?" A nervous expression crossed his face.
"$260"
"Oh, I though it'd be more than that."
"Nah, this is something you could've done on your own if you knew what the problem was, the cost of a job usually comes from parts used and time. $200 for time, $60 for the coolant."
"So, car know-it-all's get their car fixed for free?"
"No, you could've looked up what causes cars to hiss, and then look up ways to fix it."
A blank expression crossed Lincoln's face.
Ray chuckled.
"Hey, at least you'll know what to do next time!"
"Uh yeah," Lincoln handed Ray three $100 bills. "Keep the change."
He then got in his car and drove off. Ray got on the floor with a towel and wiped up the oil.
The door behind Ray squeaked, he looked over and saw Lily. She was wearing her usual oil stained tank-top,
work gloves, and paint splattered work jeans.
"So, we both ditched the jackets?"
"Well duh, it's hella hot in here!" Ray wiped his forehead with his arm.
"No kidding, you're shirtless, and your torso is sweaty."
Ray looked down.
"Oh, don't come near me I probably smell terrible."
"Ray you always smell terrible."
"Wow thanks Lily."
"Glad to be of help." Lily walked into a different car slot.
Ray finished cleaning up his work space, when the meeting bell rang above his head.
"Oh great..." He murmured, putting his hoodie back on.
He walked down the hall into the shop area of the garage, went behind the cash register and into the employee meet up room. Everybody was already there.
"Ray, why do you always have to be late?" Frank crossed his arms and looked in Ray's direction.
Lily, Karen, Dawson and Marley looked in his direction as well.
"Lily how'd you get here so fast?" Ray was baffled.
She shrugged in response.
Marley fixed his mesh tank-top and looked over to Frank,
Frank nodded around the room pausing on Karen, who was staring at her phone.
"Karen, we've talked about this, no phones for non-business related content." Frank sighed.
"Honestly this job stinks." Karen whispered under her breath, placing her phone in her back pocket.
"Karen would you prefer to be unemployed?"
She looked Frank in the eyes, "No sir."
"OK then stop being unappreciative."
Frank made sure they were all being respectful of the work rules before he started talking.
"OK so stock prices have stayed the same, and we still get equal amount of business, but we have to take an important matter on hand that will be occurring tomorrow..."
Everybody looked around the room at each other as if asking "Anybody got ideas?"
"And that matter is," Frank looked around the room at each of us. "My retirement and Ray's promotion!"
Everybody started clapping besides from Karen who just looked plain bored.
Ray looked stunned, "Promotion?"
"Yeah, we've all been planning to surprise you." Dawson smiled at him.
"It was mostly Lily's idea though," Marley pitched in.
Lily blushed, "Aww, it was nothing really..."
"Wow... thanks guys."
"Yeah, but this also means no more being late." Frank smirked.
"No promises!" Ray chuckled with a shy smile.
Everyone in the room laughed, even Karen.
"So does this mean no more working on cars?" He asked.
"No it does not, but it does make you the authority figure here, which includes hiring and firing workers. And like I said earlier, this starts tomorrow." Frank answered, "Anyways this meeting is adjourned and you all really need to get back to work."
As everybody started walking out of the room they noticed people looking in through the glass doors since the sign still said open but the doors were locked, Ray rushed over and unlocked the deadbolt and about three people walked in, thanking him.
A young lady walked up to the cash register and asked Karen something, Ray thought nothing of this common occurrence and walked over to the door leading to car slot 23 to grab his stuff when he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He turned and saw the young woman's face, she opened her mouth and asked,
"Ray is that you?"
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Sento_Writes_Stuff
Sento_Writes_Stuff I did research for this, not sure if it is correct, but oh well; i have very limited car knowledge. Also for me these little notes are called "author's thoughts" so if these are seen as quotes to guys, i'm sorry because i write in these to let you humans know that some information wont be accurate. I also write in these to clear up any information that may be unclear.
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