Thank you, cross-eyed auto mechanic.

It's a dreaded time... Time to go to DEQ. The trip out to somewhere far, no matter where you live, the lines, the seemingly stupid task that must be done in order for one to drive legally. Now I left this morning to accomplish this task and even gave the Hyundai a new tank of gas for the trip. No worries about passing DEQ (which can add to the dread above if worrying is involved).. I got there and talked with Evie on the phone and had a sandwich while I waited. Finally, my turn. "um, ma'am, everything passed but the visible smoke test, so the result is fail" WTF?! FAIL!? Dude, my car is FINE! so i had no choice but to stare at the highlighted FAIL on the paper and drive away, confused and annoyed. Figuring some kind of injustice was done, but knowing I was unable to beat "the man", I drove home and on the way, looked for an auto mechanic place that gave me warm-fuzzies (I get my oil changed at Firestone, but they can kiss my ass, they'd try to replace my whole engine if I'd let them). I had to get groceries and next to Fred Meyer was a tucked away place and on the way to FM I thought about stopping... hmmm.. after groceries I did stop. I went in and a young guy and an older cross-eyed guy were chatting.. They asked me what I needed and I cussed and showed them my FAIL papers and told them that none of the "suggested fixes" were wrong with my car, but would they look at it? "Um Bob, come out here and look at her car." Bob came out and all four of us went out to my car. I started it and revved it and they said it was fine, and that the reason there was "visible smoke" was because it was cold outside and that "visible smoke" is called condensation. Not only that, but they could make this brand new car parked next to mine do the same thing!!! and they did! Then they asked me which DEQ I went to and I told them. "Those guys are assholes, go to the one on Powell." um, OK, totally worth a shot. So I drove there, the lines were shorter and what do you know, I totally passed. I would not have thought to do that myself (although it seems obvious in retrospect) and I am super grateful that these guys, who, in rough economic times, in an industry that has been known to be less than honest (especially to chicks), were so good to me. Tomorrow morning, I am going to go back and take them some donuts.