I saw him go behind a glass partition and dial a number on the telephone. When he came out, I said, “Listen, buddy, if it’s all the same to you, I’m in a hurry.”
“Coming right now,” he said. He glanced at my ticket and went off on the run. I sat up in front and waited.
A minute or two later he came back and said, “I seem to have some trouble getting your car started. Did you know the battery was run down?”
I said, “No. I didn’t know the battery was run down, and if it is, it’s because someone here left the ignition switch on.”
He said, “Just a moment. We’re fully responsible. If there’s any trouble like that, we’ll give you a rent battery and charge yours up, but you’ll have to write out a claim.”
I said, “Better give me a new battery because I’m not coming back, and I’m not writing out any claims.”
He said, “just a minute,” and ran back towards the rear of the garage. I followed him.
The agency car was back in a corner. The attendant hopped in and started grinding away on the starter.
I said, “Just a minute, buddy. That doesn’t sound to me as though the battery was run down. But if you keep on working that starter, it will be.”
“The motor doesn’t seem to take hold.”