A few summers ago, I was driving along a busy street here in Boise and noticed that there was a free car wash in a nearby parking lot. Considering that my car was filthy and in much need of a cleaning, I decided that it was the perfect opportunity for me to take advantage of this free service. So I pulled into the parking lot and after a short wait, it was my turn. You must understand that it had been a long while since I had last washed my car, and there were some terrible spots where birds had left their marks and had practically become engrained in the paint. Thankfully, those giving out these free car washes (I think it was the baseball team from a nearby high school) were more than willing to help me out, and after about 20 minutes of intense soaping, washing, and scrubbing, my car was finally clean. I was elated! I now had a clean car, and I didn't have to spend a dime! I drove off as happy as can be.
Later that day, I joyfully related my experience to my mother, who promptly asked me how much money I had donated to them. WHAT??? I was supposed to donate money to them?? I thought it was a free carwash! Suddenly everything made sense. That wasn't really a free car wash. I was supposed to give them some sort of compensation for their labor, and I had just driven away! I was terribly embarrassed, especially since cleaning my car had been no easy task. I learned some very important lessons that afternoon. First, I should just plan to wash my own car in the future. Second, there really isn’t any such thing as a free car wash.
