for dolly

Spent this weekend pulling & re installing the transmission in my
boys truck. Seems there was an overlooked problem with the replacement
motor as we left an alignment bearing in the end of the crankshaft
intended for a manual transmission and not an automatic. It had to come
out for the torque converter to slide into the end of the crankshaft.
If we did this for a living, we would have known it couldn't stay. I
saw it before installing the motor and wrongly deduced it could stay.
Big mistake as it made for plenty of work once the motor was in the
truck. Had to pull the transmission and chisel the bearing out while
laying on the ground all the while transmission fluid and rain running
everywhere. We are not done hooking everything back up as it gets dark
earlier now, at 5PM instead of the 8PM we can usually depend on in the
summer months, but we are way ahead of where we were.
It is difficult and frustrating to work in these conditions but as usual,
I managed to inject a little humor to let these young men (Curtis and
Darrell) know that we can do this in spite of these circumstances. I
tell them that I once had to do almost the same thing many years ago,
that is, pull a transmission, change a cracked flywheel, and put it
back, only that time all I had for a side kick was my sister Dolly, and
she managed quite well. She was instrumental in replacing the heavy
Plymouth transmission and bolting it up to the 383 cid engine that was
in Mamma's 1969 Plymouth Fury III that we boys treated like a race
car**. Of course, transmissions seem to gain weight over the span of 29
years and there is a difference between the nimble strength of 19 and
the determined brute force of 47. Of course, I only think we get better
at not banging our knuckles, and difficulty is no longer any excuse
anymore. Some people may call it hard headed, but I call it valor.

**In 1969, Plymouth claimed to have a "completely new Fury." The four door
sedans wheelbase was 120 inches, 1.5 inches longer than in 1968, and
there was more shoulder room in both front and rear. The 383 Commando 2
barrel, or the 383 Super Commando 4 barrel (i don't remember which) and
"special cam", the transmission was a heavy 3 speed A-727 Torqueflite
automatic.

A belated thanks Dolly for your help, you should do
well dealing with your present situations, you've always been a very
present strength in time of trouble.

The one resolution,
which was in my mind long before it took the form of a resolution, is
the key-note of my life. It is this, always to regard as mere
impertinences of fate the handicaps which were placed upon my life
almost at the beginning. I resolved that they should not crush or dwarf
my soul, but rather be made to blossom, like Aaron's rod, with flowers.
- Helen Keller