Typical Day
Johnny "Two-Wheels" McNickerson's day starts the same as any general mechanic for an auto shop would. He wakes up, cracks a raw egg into a protein smoothie, does a crossword to keep his brain sharp (he's not all muscles), and drives on down to the shop in his vintage car.
He gets to the shop at around 9:45AM and the whole gang is there. Tommy "Nickel-eyes" O'Hannigan, Robbie "Eat Your Heart Out" Shepard, Bobby "Stay away from that" Jackson, Susie "Lead Muscles" McGee, and Frankie "Gun Face" Swanson.
"Look who decided to show up? It's Two-Wheels, his highness actually showed up for work today."
"Bug off, Nickel-eyes," Johnny says grinning. He gives his pal Tommy a noogie. "What are you deadbeats working on now?"
"Two-wheels, you fat jerk, how's it hanging?" Susie says, punching Johnny in the arm. "It's the usual slow morning. A couple of desk-jobs coming in before work so we can fix it by quitting time."
"Yeah, we have a couple oil changes and tire rotations saved just for you. The 2008 VW, the Blue Ford Fusion, and the Grand Cherokee have your name all over them," Frankie calls from the back of the garage.
"Gee, thanks a ton, Gun Face," Johnny says sarcastically. He does about five or six oil changes and tire rotations a day. They are not exactly exciting jobs.
"Anything for you, Two-Wheels," Gun Face shoots back.
The day goes on as usual. A couple more oil changes and tire rotations, then he performs a 10,000-mile service on a newer car, diagnoses a check engine light, performs a 20,000-mile service on another newer car, replaces some tail lights and some headlights, replaces some brake pads, and does a state inspection.
It's not the most exciting day. These are all routine jobs and on the cheaper side of things, so his check from today won't be enormous, but he enjoys ragging on the gang and hanging in the garage all the same, so the time goes fast. And Johnny "Two-Wheels" never feels as alive as when he is underneath the hood of a car.
It's just about quitting time and the rest of the gang has gone home, but Johnny stays behind to use some of the shop's equipment on his vintage car—it could use a tune-up (it could always use a tune-up). Everything is normal until....
"Hello," a suave man in a tuxedo says as he walks smoothly into the shop. "I need a car repair."
He motioned to an Alfa Romero. It was James Bond. James Bond needed a repair on his car.
Johnny reached out his hand, "Sir, it is an honor—"
"Please," Sean put his hand up to stop him. "I'm here on business and business only. My car shuts off whenever it darn well pleases and it won't do. I need this car to be ready by Friday. I have a...job...that needs to be done and this is the only car I have that can do it."
Not only was he going to fix James Bond's car, but to diagnose and fix a problem like that could cost something like $10,000. That's one hefty commission check.
"Whatever the cost. It just must be done."
Today may have been an ordinary day, but tomorrow certainly won't be.