The shocking story of getting my battery charged | Life in Ludlow

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Life has occasional annoying and frustrating little problems whether they be on land or sea. I have examples for you from the last week. 

You probably remember I was involved in and wrote too much about the car show in Port Ludlow 10 days ago. After the show my son drove my car back to our house since I was driving Mike Kenna’s car back to our house. 

Mike was out of town so we made arrangements for the car to be in attendance at the show by housing it at my house for the weekend. After my son drove my car into the garage, he climbed out and asked if we wanted him to leave the keys in the car. BJ told him “yes” and I overheard the answer and agreed. 

On Wednesday of last week we joined the Drapers and the Grosses for a dinner and cruise provided by Tom and Tish Satre. We purchased the event in a Port Ludlow Yacht Club charity auction. 

Even before we arrived for dinner there was concern about going out for the cruise because of the windy conditions. No matter, Tish and Tom prepared a wonderful seafood boil and we all enjoyed three hours of food, drinks and stories of cruising on the Alaskan Quest.

The gentle rolling of the boat that evening while tied up at the dock only contributed to the ambience and camaraderie. The wind was a problem easily solved with a plan to take the cruising portion of the event four days later, on Sunday. The only problem that needed solving was the fact that the Chiefs, the Seahawks and the Mariners all had important contests to play. 

Yeah, we solved that one. Everybody had a cell phone and could keep up with the scores. 

Now to last Friday.

I needed to change a couple of light bulbs in the garage-door opener. In order to most safely accomplish this task I felt I needed to move the cars out of the garage. Lord only knows what might fall out of the box around the lights onto the cars when I opened it. 

I went to start my car and surprisingly noted there was no response. 

I couldn’t move the driver’s seat to facilitate getting in. None of the lights would go on. I couldn’t even get the key out of the ignition. Nothing! 

OK, the key was left in the car alright, IN THE IGNITION in the car. 

Six days later, the battery had been for maybe five days in a quiet state of morbidity. 

The battery is housed in the front of the car in what is commonly referred to as the “frunk.” You get it, front trunk? Even more frustrating was the fact that opening the frunk required using an electronic button/lever, now completely inoperative. 

Next step, consult the little used owner’s manual to see if I could find a way to open the frunk, access the battery and charge it up.

I found it. It was listed in the chapter entitled “For Dummies.”

This process required significant yoga poses to remove the cover of the fuse box inside the car and then access a contact. Similar unfamiliar and hurtful positions later I attached a power source, my battery charger, to the contact and heard the welcome clicks of the ignition key releasing and the frunk opening. 

Progress. 

I then hooked up the battery charger to the battery and optimistically waited about 12 hours for any sign it might come back to life. I even put the key in the ignition in an ill-advised attempt to start the car. 

Unfortunately, I must report the demise of the battery and I am on the hunt for a replacement. In addition, when I decided the battery did in fact need to be replaced, I unhooked the charger and closed the frunk. 

I immediately realized the key could again not be extracted and the frunk was again locked. I proceeded back to the “Dummies” chapter in the owner’s manual.   

Not all stories have happy endings but most do include at least a couple of positive notes from these stories. The cruise was delightful. The seven-year-old battery can be replaced. The lights in the garage door opener now work. 

Love a curmudgeon and have a great week. 

(Ned Luce is a retired IBM executive and Port Ludlow resident who says he has no junk in his frunk. Email Ned at ned@ptleader.com.)