Mighty Fortress

The other day I went out to run errands. The garage door has become more and more doubtful lately. There was the sound of the rollers straining under the bend in the panels where it had been kissed with the truck bumper, more than a year ago.

I backed out of the garage, pressed the button on my visor, the door lurched and stuck. I can't exactly drive off and leave the garage door open, even though the house door is locked. I come up with an idea of fixing it, but decide it best to put the car back into the garage in the event it isn't a good idea.

I opened the single garage door, knowing if my plan works it will suddenly get much darker in the garage, and I wanted good light for my work. I pulled the red handle hanging by a red cord from the drive chain on the track, allowing the door to move freely - if it wasn't stuck.

Being a bit height challenged, I am proficient with using long handled things for purposes they weren't intended. With the push broom in hand, I pushed the bulging garage door panel back into place.

The bind freed, it immediately began to come down without restraint. Knowing that grabbing for a gravity driven double door size metal garage door on a rush meeting with the ground could take a hand off in a wink, I pushed the broom up to slow its descent.

Once I had a bit of control, wedging the broom handle under my arm for leverage against the weight of the door, while releasing the grip of one hand, I pushed the garage door opener that I had hung from my jeans' pocket. The motor pushed the thingy along the track and engage the part the red knobby thing had released and the garage door closed as it should.

The problem still existed that my car and I were on the wrong side of the door to run errands. So (this is the good part), I pushed the remote and raised the door almost fully, stopping it before it could hang up again where the bent part had to round the track to retract parallel to the ceiling.

One of the few things I'm taller than is my Mustang. I measured the clearance ratio by walking to the door. I had to dip my head slightly, but figured the car would clear nicely, even though the radio antenna would touch. Back in the car and ever so slowly out the garage, I pressed the remote again and closed the door without a thought to whether I could put my car back inside upon return.

Needless to say, we have a new garage door.