Too high.
Elias capped the oil bottle and threw the rag into the trash can. He looked at the door leading back into the house, where the light was on in the kitchen. She was in there, probably making tea, acting as if the world hadn't tilted on its axis. dipsticks, lubricants & abject infidelity
: Literally tools for measuring fluid levels, they metaphorically represent the "check-ins" required in a relationship. Interestingly, "dipstick" is also a common slang term for a foolish or dim-witted person, often used as a "clean" substitute for harsher insults like "dipshit". Too high
He slid it back into the engine until it clicked shut. In the morning, he would confront her. He would strip the gears and look at the damage. But for now, in the silence of the garage, surrounded by the smell of petroleum and the ghost of a marriage, he simply appreciated the mechanics of things. The car didn't lie. The dipstick didn't cheat. And the oil, no matter how dirty it got, still did its job. She was in there, probably making tea, acting
Lubricants, on the other hand, are substances designed to reduce friction and wear on moving parts. They are the unsung heroes of the mechanical world, working behind the scenes to keep engines purring and gears grinding smoothly. But lubricants can also be seen as a metaphor for the social lubricants that facilitate human interaction. Just as mechanical lubricants help to reduce friction between moving parts, social lubricants like charm, empathy, and communication can help to ease the rough edges of human relationships, making it easier for people to get along.