Anne LeGare

After a drive to Houston last weekend, our family van was covered in bug guts. So after picking up all three children from school, we headed over to our local gas station to buy slushy drinks and a car wash.

This is our favorite car wash, as it’s “touchless,” and does a great job, even on the tires. I punched my purchase code into the machine, but had to wait for a truck in front of me before I could proceed. While we watched the truck being washed, we were laughing, because every time the strong water jets made a pass around the truck, everything in the bed of the truck would fly into the air, (to include a large box and styrofoam inserts) and then settle back into the bed or around the car wash bay.

When the wash portion of the cycle was finished, a very sheepish soldier stepped out of the truck and started picking up all the things that were strewn about the bay. He tossed them back into the bed of his truck and drove toward the powerful dryer, which was already working. Once the dryer hit the bed of the truck, all the stuff flew out again. The soldier drove off, oblivious to everything he’d left behind.

The green light went on for me to “Drive Forward,” but I was afraid the big box left in the middle of the bay would get hung up under my van. So I told my 13-year-old son, Daniel, to hop out and go move the box for me. Daniel willingly complied, and ran into the bay.

Whoops! As soon as he entered the bay, the tire wash sensors triggered, and powerful jets of water hit Daniel from both sides, knocking off his hat and giving him a thorough soaking!

The look on Daniel’s face was priceless! He must have jumped three feet in the air when those jets hit him. The girls and I laughed so hard we couldn’t catch our breath. Daniel got back into the car, soaking wet, with teeth chattering from the cold water.

Now I understand what a “touchless” car wash is! No car required.

Where are the video cameras when we need them? That would have made it onto America’s Funniest Home Videos for sure!