Feb 11, 2008
RAY: A frantic young man made a call to an auto parts store and asked the counter man for a part that he needed: a 28-ounce water pump.
"What's a 28-ounce water pump?" the parts store guy asked.
"I don't know, but my boss needs one. He told me to find one because he plans to work on his car this weekend. He thinks I know something about cars, but I don't. And I certainly don't know what a 28-ounce water pump is.
"Well, that makes two of us!" said the parts store guy. "Do you know what the year and make of the car is?"
"No. But I know he's been working on it for years."
"I don't think I am going to be able to help you, young fellow," said the parts store guy.
"You were my last hope," said the caller. "I called every other parts store in town and no one else knows what I'm talking about. I guess it's back to cleaning the office bathrooms for me then."
"Look," the parts guy said. "Why don't you give me your phone number and if I figure it out I'll call you."
A minute later the phone rings. "We have that 28-ounce water pump that your boss needs. Tell him to come in any time and pick it up. And by the way we also have 26- and 24-ounce water pumps, in case he ever needs one of them."
The question is, what did the parts guy figure out and what part was it?
"What's a 28-ounce water pump?" the parts store guy asked.
"I don't know, but my boss needs one. He told me to find one because he plans to work on his car this weekend. He thinks I know something about cars, but I don't. And I certainly don't know what a 28-ounce water pump is.
"Well, that makes two of us!" said the parts store guy. "Do you know what the year and make of the car is?"
"No. But I know he's been working on it for years."
"I don't think I am going to be able to help you, young fellow," said the parts store guy.
"You were my last hope," said the caller. "I called every other parts store in town and no one else knows what I'm talking about. I guess it's back to cleaning the office bathrooms for me then."
"Look," the parts guy said. "Why don't you give me your phone number and if I figure it out I'll call you."
A minute later the phone rings. "We have that 28-ounce water pump that your boss needs. Tell him to come in any time and pick it up. And by the way we also have 26- and 24-ounce water pumps, in case he ever needs one of them."
The question is, what did the parts guy figure out and what part was it?
Answer:
TOM: The auto store clerk figured it out in a minute because he wrote it down. He wrote 28, and what's the abbreviation for ounce?
TOM: O-Z.
RAY: He needed a water pump for a 280Z Datsun. They also had water pumps for 260Z or 26-oz., and a 240Z, which is a 24-oz. Pretty cute, huh? So who's our winner?
TOM: The winner this week is Fred France from Raleigh, North Carolina. And for having his answer selected at random from the heap of correct answers that we got, Fred is going to get a 26-dollar gift certificate to the Shameless Commerce Division at cartalk.com, with which he can get a special 20th anniversary Car Talk T-shirt with the greasy fingerprints factory installed.
RAY: Congratulations, Fred!
TOM: O-Z.
RAY: He needed a water pump for a 280Z Datsun. They also had water pumps for 260Z or 26-oz., and a 240Z, which is a 24-oz. Pretty cute, huh? So who's our winner?
TOM: The winner this week is Fred France from Raleigh, North Carolina. And for having his answer selected at random from the heap of correct answers that we got, Fred is going to get a 26-dollar gift certificate to the Shameless Commerce Division at cartalk.com, with which he can get a special 20th anniversary Car Talk T-shirt with the greasy fingerprints factory installed.
RAY: Congratulations, Fred!
