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| - It's been a rough few years, but finally, things are mellowing out for the Witwicky clan. Sparkplug manages to retain his house. He's dealt with 2 angsty sons. Spike's near-idolization of his dad quickly ebbed after he nixed the idea of helping the Autobots. Consequently, Spike has suffered. In school in junior high, he was routinely marked in parent/teacher conferences as 'being too much of a dreamer'. And now, as he is helping dad at Witwicky Auto, another problem. This time, Spike was given a vehicle - a BMW from one of Witwicky Auto's most loyal (and lucrative customers). The goal - simple oil change. Spike could probably do it with his eyes closed. But as usual, Spike's mind wandered a bit. And yesterday, the customer freaked out as his car started to smoke on the Interstate. Looking under, he saw the culprit - an open oil cap! The customer is at Witwicky Auto, frowning, and talking to Sparkplug. "William - I LIKE you - you've ALWAYS treated me well. But this... " He frowns. "This is purely amateur - I am NOT paying for this - I want my engine cleaned, and I want a rental car." Spike is in the lounge, doing his homework. But he winds up idling. And then picking up a Kurt Vonnegut book. He continues to nurse a Dr. Pepper that he got from the soda machine. Sparkplug smiles unctuously, taking off his cap and rubbing his head in consternation. "Of course! Of course! And, again, I'm very sorry... this won't happen again. I'll get you the rental keys right away, and we'll have your car cleaned up and ready for you tomorrow morning when we open - of course no charge." The customer smiles curtly, "These..things...happen...I know..." he sighs and waits. Auto repair is a cutthroat business. It doesn't take much to lose customers. Even though he likes Sparkplug - this might just do it. Sparkplug nods. "But not here. Look -- I know this is a mess... how about free oil changes for a year? I don't want to lose my most valuable customer." The customer looks up and thinks. He nods. "Look...I'm not ... trying to bilk you, Will..." He leans in and mutters "I do NOT want that kid working on my car EVER again... is that understood?" Sparkplug nods. "Of course. Don't worry about it. From now on, I'll exclusively work on your car myself. And it's my pleasure... you've been a loyal and valued customer." Spike breathes through his nose. Every time he hears about the Autobots, it's like a small paper cut. Even during the worldwide disaster through the Ultimate Doom ep - he had a tinge of envy to the group of humans who were fortunate enough to finally get involved with the Autoots. The humans (an international array of scientists, military advisors, and cultural ambassadors) were more of a 'diplomatic/UN' setup - not the 'family setup' of the 'nowuniverse' Witwicky arrangement. Sparkplug shakes his head, heading in to talk to his son. Spike idly reads Slaughterhouse Five' - planning on defending reading it as a classic as opposed to having to read To Kill A Mockingbird.' Damn the 'INCOMPLETE" grade - he's making a statement. Sparkplug raps his knuckles on Spike's door to signal his arrival, and then just pushes the door open. Spike looks up and gives a nod of acknowledgement "Heayh" - and continues reading. Sparkplug barks, "Stand up." Spike rolls his eyes. He's as bad as Buster. He slouches up and looks at his father. Sparkplug glowers. "You left the oil cap off a car belonging to one of our best customers. We might lose him." Buster ALMOST made the honor roll, but thanks to a bad grade in gym, he missed it by *this* much. Spike - straight C+ student. GAME: Spike PASSES an INTELLIGENCE roll of Very High difficulty. Spike thinks...thinks... thinks. "Oh... the BMW..." He breathes out "Sorry - " Spike says 'sorry' like he forgot to tell the cashier to skip the pickles on Sparkplug's cheeseburger. Sparkplug rasps, "SORRY? Spike, if we lose that customer, it will cost the shop, and our family, a lot of money." Spike bites his lower lip and looks at Sparkplug's shoulder, then down at his Dr. Pepper. Spike mumbles "Sorry..." Spike pinches the bridge of his nose. The 'eager to help son who tirelessly pitched in after Susan died' seemed to die in late puberty, replaced by this... lollygagger in front of Sparkplug. Sparkplug says, "You don't seem to appreciate the severity of your mistake, so until you do, you're grounded." Spike looks at Sparkplug and actually starts to laugh. "WHAT?! DAD... I ...made...a...MISTAKE!" He scoffs "You can't GROUND me for a mistake!" Sparkplug rasps, "I can certainly ground you for a mistake, when it is due to carelessness. And if you think you can tell me what I can and can't do, you're sorely mistaken." On top of it all - Spike's presence is starting to be a negative effect on the place. Lots of Sparkplug's subordinates complain that when Spike isn't pulling his weight, he seems to have an air that he is ABOVE them - a huge-ass no-no in this labor-intensive area. Sparkplug says, "No TV... no going out with your friends, and if you don't shape up, I'm taking out all books not directly related to your homework. You need to learn to focus!" Spike frowns and gestures wildly "Dad...have you ever thought...that like - instead of trying to FORCE me into being a damn mechanic, maybe you haven't thought that MAYBE - I'm not cut OUT to be a mechanic. MAYBE..." He gestures again "MAYBE I'm destined for something greater than just fixin' cars?!" Spike frowns "This... " He counters "I can't... This isn't fair!"" Sparkplug says, "What isn't fair is that I pay all the bills around here, and on top of it, I gotta deal with backtalk from you! You don't want to be mechanic, fine -- when you graduate high school and can live on your own, there's the door. But while you're under my roof, you'll earn your keep around here, and you'll do a good job or else!" Spike frowns, sputtering. It's his problem since the oil rig accident - he THINKS he's destined, but has been so bummed since he was denied a life with the Autobots, EVERYTHING seems beneath that life - and as a result, he hasn't put much effort into a possible post-high school career. Spike thinks. He quietly begins to pack up his backpack, putting his homework - and his book into his backpack. He leers at his dad. "Wow... it's like you're counting the days until you can kick me out." Spike frowns. He's going to Chip Chase's. They're still friends. Chip routinely tries to guide Spike into getting some initiative since the Autobots are NOT an option, but as Chip enters his senior year, he's even finding it hard to encourage his friend as his own work is ramping up - lots of colleges are knocking at his door. Sparkplug says, "No, I'm counting the days 'til you grow up and start acting like a man!" Sparkplug says, "Where do you think you're going?" Spike mutters "Chip's." Sparkplug rasps, "What part of 'grounded' did you not understand?" Sparkplug has this weird effect on Spike. His looming presence seems to wear on his spine. He shrinks from his dad. "Fine - " Spike folds his arms and looks at Sparkplug. Sparkplug rasps, "Now, let me see your homework." Spike's eyes widen. "Dad, I'm not 14!" Sparkplug rasps, "Then stop acting like you're 12. Now show me your homework!" Spike frowns and shows him the Trig (out of 20 questions, he's filled in the 4 that he knew the answer to), the book report which begins with 'While I know 'To Kill a Mockingbird' is a classic, I am choosing to do a report on Kurt Vonnegut's 'Slaughterhouse Five' because it better reflects our time right now.' Spike scratches his peach fuzz skin. The Chemistry homework at least is in pretty good shape. Sparkplug shakes his head. "You think you're smarter than your teachers now, too?" he asks, brandishing the book report. Spike looks down at his work. Sparkplug's insults again have that papercut effect. Not hard, but it nicks repeatedly. Spike mumbles "She's like 90 - " 'Sparkplug rasps, "Experience, lad. You should learn to appreciate it." Spike points "And 'I' plan on writing TEN pages instead of Five, so I'm NOT avoiding work - in fact, I'm doing extra!" Sparkplug tears up the book report. "You'll do what you're asked, whether you like it or not. THAT is the lesson here." Spike doesn't have an answer, and doesn't look at his dad. Spike slouches a bit and puts his hand in his face, dragging it down tho his chin. "Fine..." Spike scratches his unkmept hair. "Can I go home now?" Sparkplug rasps, "You'll stay here 'til I ready to go home, and you'll come back with me. In the meantime, get on that homework. I want it DONE by the end of my shift." Spike's eyes widen, "Dad, that's like THREE hours away!" He adds "I COULD - but it's gonna be wrong, I'd rather do it RIGHT..." Spike points "TRIG, AND THAT BOOK REPORT..." He shakes his head. "That's like... IMPOSSIBLE!" Sparkplug says, "You're going to have plenty of time, because I'm going to be busy for several hours fixing YOUR mess. And you better have it done - and right - because I'm going to be checking your homework every day for the foreseeable future, until you stop this bullshit and start acting like a man." "Mess", "Bullshit" "act like a man" Spike doesn't look at his dad, but his eyes begin to well slightly. He listlessly sits down and opens his Trig book. Spike thinks o o o ("I hate you - if mom was alive, she wouldn't have put up with you constantly ragging on me") Sparkplug rasps, "I'll be checking on you regularly.... and I'd better see PROGRESS." One of Sparkplug's GOOD employees - Stan - his actual second in command knocks on the door, looks in, gives Spike a HARD look of contempt, then lowers his voice. "Sorry, boss - the hydrolic lift is stuck again." Spike tries to focus on Trig, but Sparkplug's comments just make it that much harder to think. Sparkplug turns around, and slams the door behind him. "I'll take care of it, Stan," he says, struggling to contain his anger. He's got a job to do.
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