Boone rolled into Dale's backyard well after noon, and made his way into the shop to check on the Duster.
"Darren called me a while ago and said he wasn't going to make it", Boone commented.
"He says that every year, probably just wants some of us to go over there and help him", I concluded.
"He's just frustrated, I think he stripped out one of the bolt holes that thread into the trans case".
Sounds about right, his 'magic elbow torque wrench' never has been calibrated for aluminum threads!"
Dale guffawed then added, "I resemble that remark!"

Boone started discussing a wish list of things he wanted Rachael to pick up for him, so I decided to excuse myself from the shop so I could finish up on the Belvedere. I'd been under it for about fifteen minutes when Rachael came out and asked for my bank card so she could pick up a few things for us as well. Boone came out a few minutes later, added something to her list right before she left, then made his way over to where I was working.

"What are you doing now?" He asked somewhat tersely.
"Figured I'd change the oil, and take it for test drive". I explained
"You know, if you would have showed up here Sunday night, with your stuff ready to go, we'd have had a much better chance of getting all our cars done!" He spun around and headed back to the shop.
"Wow! I'd have expected that response from just about anybody else in Oklahoma before I would have seen it coming from him", I thought to myself.

I spent most of the afternoon concentrating on my cars out in the yard and avoiding the shop entirely, mainly because I was still miffed at Boone's attitude. When the sun went down though, it didn't make any sense not to get in the shop and see if I could find something to do. Dale's son Billy was out of school, and fired up to help on "his" car, but I could tell he was driving Boone and Dale crazy as they worked on the front of the car.
"Billy, what do you say we figure out how to get this new fiberglass trunk lid mounted on the car", I motioned him towards the back. He was receptive to the plan so we broke out the new hood pin kits, and I turned the kid loose with a drill to make holes in virgin fiberglass! Since I live twelve hundred miles from my nephew, and his Dad only has him part time, I came to realize that this was probably the most involved I had ever been with him, and I really enjoyed it, despite the buzz of activity that was going on around us.