The Missing Cap

For the past week, I have been driving around without a petrol cap. I must have left it at the Shell petrol station nearby my workplace. I only found that out yesterday when I drove to the Shell petrol station near my house. When I pulled into the petrol station, an Indon worker came to my assistance. He opened my fuel container and muttered something to me.

Now, I normally don't bother conducting conversations with people who mutter and so, I just smiled at him and told him that it's ok, I'll fill up the tank myself.

But he repeated his mutterings.

So, I repeated what I said.

Then when he repeated his mutterings the third time and a little louder this time, I finally grasped what he was trying to say.

"Cik, many tutup petrol ni?" he gestured his hand in the general area of my petrol tank. [i](Translation: Where's your petrol cap?)[/i]

Suddenly, my face turned pale as I recalled my boss telling me last week that I forgot to shut my petrol container door properly. I shut the door then without bother looking in to check if the petrol cap was there. Oh no... don't tell me, I forgot to screw back the petrol cap before going off to my merry way to the office?!

I gulped and bravely peeked at my petrol tank. The Indon guy was right, [b]there was no cap.[/b]

Egads.

As my brain was assailed by a multitude of thoughts - gratefulness that nothing untoward happened to me during the absence of the petrol cap; curiousity as to what's the worst that could actually happen to me sans the cap; feeling worried about what dad would say; being puzzled as to where I can get things like these - I mean, do people actually lose petrol caps as often as they lose their pens??? - I was mechanically filling up my petrol to full tank.

Then, I thought of my friend Derrick who's a car expert. He would know where I can get a petrol cap! One of the first things he advised me was not to fill the petrol tank to the brim.

Uh oh.

And the helpful chap actually took the trouble to get one for me and before long, my petrol tank did not look forlorn and incomplete anymore. He pointed out that my tank actually had a safety cover to prevent the petrol from spilling out. The newer car models would have those in place, so the absence of the petrol cap would not bring about dire consequences. But still... it's a frightful feeling to be driving around without one and being aware of its absence. Like leaving my appendix at home or something.

So anyway, all's well that ends well. Thank you, Lord for Your protection and for helpful friends like Derrick