I don't know a great deal about cars, whether they have "Ambulance" plastered all across them or otherwise. I know that they need fuel, oil and water.
I know that you turn the ignition to start them, and turn the key the other way to turn them off.
I know what most of the controls do - which pedal does what and how far to turn the steering wheel.
I can, if needed, change a tyre.
Recently, I even ventured as far as changing a headlight bulb. If you own the same car I do, you would understand my sense of achievement.
But when it comes to cars going mechanically wrong, I have no idea where to start.
I have no idea what a cam belt looks like, or how many extra holes it would need if the car lost weight.
I have no idea what a clutch looks like. Then again, most Americans don't actually know what a clutch is.
I'd be too scared to change a battery or replace a spark plug. Do cars even have spark plugs?
However, I do know one thing for sure about cars.
If, when you start the engine and are about to head out on yet another call in the middle of the night, there is a loud THWUNK type of noise, and then, all of a sudden, sitting two metres in front of the car is a large, round metal piece of the engine, I know absolutely for certain that this is not a good thing.
Not a good thing at all.
