Return with Vengeance (standard:Fan Fiction, 2366 words)
Author: Juggernaut	Added: Mar 12 2013	Views/Reads: 3339/2159	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Hindus believe in reincarnation and karma. VW Beatle came back as Jetta in reincarnation to Juggarnaut for payback for his past bad karma.

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story


In Hawaii like in some other states, an annual safety 

inspection sticker is required to maintain annual registration.  The 

inspection costs $15 at any authorized mechanic on the island. 

Juggernaut drove from his cottage in Pahoa to Hilo, the biggest town on 

the island around 34 miles to Stan's Fast Lube & Repair on Pohaku 

Street on a friend's suggestion. The Jetta drove fine until it reached 

the mechanic's place then all of a sudden steam started jetting out the 

engine like crazy. Confused, Juggernaut slowly steered the car into the 

yard.  Stan the mechanic was a Hispanic American, friendly and yet 

business like. “Could you make a safety inspection for the sticker?” 

Juggernaut was doubtful since the steam was still coming out from the 

hood. 

“I am kind of busy but I will do it,” said Stan writing 

down the license plate number and looking at the car registration 

papers while Juggernaut was still worrying about the steam from the 

hood. 

Stand checked the lights, high and low beam, the horn and 

the signal lights for its working order disregarding the steam still 

slowly coming out from inside the hood. On completion of safety 

inspection, Stan wrote up the certificate of safety for $15. “Do you 

know where the steam is coming from?” asked Juggernaut looking for some 

help. 

“It is something to do with radiator, I don't work on 

radiators, take it to Bear's Automotive on Makaala street,” Stan turned 

around and walked away. 

Though scared to drive a car with steam coming out from the 

hood, Juggernaut slowly drove to Makaala Street few miles away to 

Bear's Automotive.  The owner is a Japanese American, apparently lived 

in New Mexico for several years. 

“Bad news; the thermostat to start the fan on  radiator 

failed and the old radiator was shot and there are other electrical 

issues with this car as well, we are the VW experts on this side of the 

island, you came to the right place,” said the mechanic. 

Juggernaut had no choice but to go ahead and get it fixed. 

“Your are Indian right? You know I am familiar with Sikhism 

and attended a Gurudwara to sing Keertans with my Sikh friends,” the 

mechanic was burdened with overweight walked slowly with help of a hand-


stick. 

The car was l fixed with new radiator, new wiring, fuse box 

and many other Juggernauts had no clue. 

“I love the sweet sacred pudding made with clarified 

butter served at the Gurudwaras,” said the mechanic charging $1400 for 

the repair. 

“Big rip-off, his visits to Gurudwara to worship God didn't 

do any good to him,” thought Juggernaut. 

The car drove fine for several weeks. The gas mileage was 

great though money charged for refilling Freon to cool the car was a 

waste. 

On the south east side of the Big Island in Hawaii, there 

are several nice beach parks but none have sandy beaches. It is all 

lava rock outgrowths in the shallow crystal clear waters.  While the 

public facilities are good at these beaches, the parking lots were 

terrible particularly in Puna district. The parking lot at the hot pond 

and Mackenzie state park on Kapoho-Kalapana road were terrible. It was 

very difficult to steer the car between deep pot holes and sharp lava 

rocks protruding from the ground like projectiles on the parking lot. 

Only large pick-up trucks and SUVs with high clearance are safe to 

drive around here. 

One day, while pulling out from the parking lot at the hot 

pond, the car fell into a deep pot hole and the way out it hit a sharp 

lava rock ripping a hole in the oil pan underneath. Within in minutes, 

a low oil warning signal flashed on the screen, ignoring the warning, 

Juggernaut continued to drive hoping to reach his cottage just few 

minutes away.  Big mistake, the engine stalled shortly after, 

Juggernaut poured fresh engine oil from a can only to see it totally 

drained right through to the ground.  A big fellow driving a large pick 

up stopped seeing Juggernaut in desperation standing next to the 

stalled car. 

“Your were lucky, Roger's repair shop is across the street, 

he is a good mechanic down here,” said, Bob, a hardwood contractor 

living nearby on Pohiki Road. 

Bob towed the Jetta into Roger's large backyard with two 

huge garages.  Juggernaut paid a handsome tip to Bob in spite of his 

resistance to accept it.  Roger was originally from Colorado, son of a 

renowned Professor.  He worked as a mechanic in Alaska for years in the 

gas industry before he came to Big Island with his girl f friend Katie 

to work at geothermal plant in Pahoa only to be laid off, now working 

on cars full-time at his home. Katie was born in Alaska to a Japanese 

American mother and Scottish American army father; from her pure 

oriental looks nobody can believe she is half caucasian. 

“Bad news; the oil pan was busted and you drove without a 

drop of oil. you need a new engine,” said Roger smoking  nicotine 

burning pipe. He said smoking pure nicotine is less harmful than 

smoking regular cigarettes. 

“I thought it was a slow oil drip and drove less than half 

a mile after getting the warning light,” Juggernaut looked helpless. 

“You could get away driving without water for a short 

distance but not without oil. You have a choice, either junk it or buy 

a used engine,” Roger was still smoking nicotine pipe. 

“How can I get a used engine?” Juggernaut looked anxious. 

“I can call a junk car dealer in Keaau, he may have a 

junked Jetta or even a Beatle since the engines in both are 

interchangeable.” 

Roger got an engine for $500 from VW Beatle junked after a 

roll-over accident and charged $1300 to install it. 

Juggernaut drove to Kailua-Kona from Pahoa on route #11 or 

Volcano Road.  Route#11 was not a preferred route for the locals; they 

take either Saddle Road or Highway through Waimea via Hilo to Kona. 

The  Volcano road justifies its name as it passes through miles of lava 

deposits on the either side of the road. The Volcano road is longer and 

goes around from southeast end to reach over 5000 feet above sea level 

through hair pin turns to reach Kailua Kona. On the way it goes through 

Captain Cook, a beautiful town on hill side overlooking the ocean.  The 

death of Captain Cook was controversial, in one account he was 

bludgeoned by the native Hawaiians in 1780 in a dispute and his body 

was cooked with Taro tubers to make poi, a ceremonial dish. 

On nearing Kailua-Kona, the Volcano road turns into Hawaii 

Belt Road and becomes Mamalahoa highway which turns into Queen 

Kaahumanu Highway on reaching Kona. The Big Island has one single lane 

highway that goes around the island splitting here and there changing 

names along the way. With no rest areas to stop to take a leak, the 

drive on single lane  on the Big Island was not fun despite the 

spectacular scenes of ocean, mountains and valleys, and mounds of shiny 

molten lave as far as eye can see. 

After parking Jetta in the assigned spot at the condo 

complex on Walua Road in Kailua-Kona, Juggernaut  returned  next day to 

the parking lot to see a large oil puddle under Jett's engine.  Roger 

was apologetic on the phone to hear oil leak and drove next day in a 

hurry from Pahoa with his wife to drive back Jetta to his garage in 

Pahoa to replace with brand new oil pan, new shocks and brake pads. 

Juggernaut travelled on a bus from Kona to Hilo to drive 

back the Jetta. The bus ride was cheap only two dollars. The bus left 

Kona early 6:30 in the morning to reach Hilo around 10 AM.  The ride 

was comfortable watching the entire scenic route via Waimea, if one can 

put up with weird crowd in the bus. Roger and Katie were waiting at the 

Prince Kuhio Plaza to handover the Jetta and pick up a check for 

$700.   Another trip from Hilo to Kona but this time Juggernaut decided 

to drive on route 200 also called Saddle Road. The Saddle Road was 

newly surfaced 55 miles highway reaches a maximum elevation of 6,600 

feet above the sea-level with spectacular scenes on either side. The 

visibility could be a hindrance in few locations. The Saddle road joins 

Rout 190 to reach Kailua-Kona.  This is a fast route from Hilo to Kona 

with less traffic and less scenic. 

The Jetta was driving fine for weeks in Kona. Juggernaut 

drove his wife Radha around the island on her short visit to the Big 

Island for Thanks Giving. They drove around the island reaching Hilo 

through beautiful Honokaa coast, the most beautiful route with 

spectacular valleys and waterfalls.  Back in Kona, at the Keauhou 

Shopping Center on Alihii Drive, all of a sudden, steam started jetting 

out from the hood again. Juggernaut got the car towed to European Auto 

Specialist on Honokohau Street on route 19 also called Queen Kaahumanu 

Highway at cost of $65.  The trip ended with Jetta back in the repair 

shop. Next day, Radha took a cab to the airport. 

“Bad news; somebody installed a wrong valve and the coolant 

couldn't flow to the radiator busting the entire cooling system,” said 

the mechanic at the auto repair place. Total repair cost $500.  To add 

to insult to the injury, an additional charge of $200 to replace the 

broken windshield liquid pump and a  broken rear view mirror, 

“Damn you.  I am not going spend any more money.  If you 

were to break down next time, I will junk you. What I did to deserve 

this grief”? Juggernaut kicked Jetta's tire in disgust. 

“I am the reincarnated blue VW Beatle you junked in Jamaica 

35 years ago cutting short my life to 3 months. I returned in vengeance 

as black Jetta for pay back.” a metallic voice boomeranged from the 

vehicle. 

“No, No,” Shouted Juggernaut in shock. 

“Yes, you better believe it,” demanded Jetta with a smirk 

on its face. 

“I am sorry I wrecked you but you were the very first car I 

drove immediately after I got the drivers license, I was very 

inexperienced driver then,” Juggernaut had hard time explaining. 

“I am listening,” Jetta was cool in the hot Hawaiian sun. 

“You may not know I sacrificed you to save a life. I 

crashed you to avoid killing a drunk running crazy on the beach road 

near Blue Field in Jamaica,” Juggernaut was apologetic. 

“Sure you saved a human life at the expense of my life.  I 

came straight from factory in Germany in shining sky blue color to be 

driven along the beautiful Jamaican coast line only to be wrecked by an 

idiot like you.  I came back to haunt you now in Hawaii to wreck your 

vacation.  Being a Hindu yourself you believe in bad karma don't you?” 

“You know I suspected something like this when I started 

having problems with you. As a Hindu, I know I have to pay back for my 

past bad karma sooner or later.” 

“Well, you paid your dues now, you were set free now from 

the past sin,” Jetta sounded conciliatory. 

Juggernaut sold the Jetta for a big loss on Craig's list 

and accepted the loss as payback for the past wrongdoing. Now he is 

ready to start with a clean slate but not with VWs but with its rich 

cousin Audi, BMW or Mercedes. 


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