Creative Engineering

Randy's family is known for producing creative engineers. Let me explain. These people can find the most inventive ways to keep cars, toys, and pretty much anything operational long after said thing should have been laid to rest. My Father-in-law is unbelievably talented, he has been known to drive around in a van with air conditioning in the form of an actual window unit boarded into his rear door. Scary, no? The sad part is that the man could afford a new car. He just doesn't want one. It is a source of pride for him that he can make do with even the most crappy item. I swear, this is true.
My husband too has the creative engineering gene. Oh, yes he does. Randy kept a Honda CRV with 300,000 miles on it running for 4 years! I am pretty sure that the car was held together with gum and duct tape. But I am proud to say that when he finally sold it ( to another creative engineering family member of course) it was able to roll out of our driveway under its own steam.
Well, I tell you all of this so that you will understand how proud I was to prove that I truly belong to this family today. That is right, I earned my own badge in creative engineering.
On my way home from work, an eighteen wheeler in front of me had a blowout. The husk of the tire came flying out from under the truck about 50 feet in front of me. I couldn't get over into the other lane, there was no time; all I could do was slow down and drive over the husk. I was actually pretty calm, I was just praying, "Dear Lord, please don't let me get a flat tire on the interstate." Well two seconds later I heard a sound. Something was dragging on the ground. I groaned and pulled over. Turns out that the piece of my car under my door had come loose and was dragging the ground. I tried to put it back on, but couldn't. I tried to pull it all the way off..again failure. And then a flash of brilliance hit me like a rock. I took off my work badge, which I wear around my neck, and wrapped it around the loose piece. I then got in the car and pulled the piece into place the best that I could, holding it tight with the badge cord. I was then able to shut the door and drive home, holding the badge cord tight the whole way in order to keep the piece in place. How is that for creative engineering? I told Randy that if he ever had doubts that I was the one for him, this should put those doubts to rest. I have truly become a member of his family, let's just pray that I never feel the need to drive around with a window unit in my car for AC. Please Dear God, don't let that happen.