Chapter 28 — The owner of the car shop behind the school gate

The garage closed for ten days, and the school immediately realized how important it had been.

Notice signs are placed at the side gate. Ba Man Shop moved to a temporary roof near the security room, only enough for one repair desk and two cars. The path must change direction. The delivery man grumbled. Students go around far away. Some people forgot their duty schedule and parked their car blocking the road.

Khoa is not angry. He divided shifts, placed colored arrows and guided each group. Vy made a sign "Who is responsible today", but the first day of the sign was blurred by the rain. Huy used an old plastic sheet to press it together and recorded additional inspection hours.

One morning, Ms. Hanh came but the temporary slope was too slippery. You have to go back. Vy immediately informed Ms. Van, even though she knew it could slow down construction. The construction team tried other materials, adding a rough surface. Ms. Hanh came back in the afternoon and checked for herself.

“It's better, but this place still lacks handrails,” she said.

No one told her to wait until it was perfect. They installed temporary handrails during the day.

Mrs. Man did not like the temporary roof because the rain splashed on the table. The Faculty suggested closing one session to change positions, but she said if it was closed, the students would have no place to correct it. They agreed to open on short hours, only taking on safe work, while major disassembly and assembly work was moved to Truc Street garage.

Faculty must divide their time between garage and school. Vy helped Mrs. Man replace the valve stem, this time without dropping the ball. Mrs. Man nodded and said she had made progress but was still not allowed to set her own price.

On Tuesday, there was a post complaining that the club was disturbing the school gate. Huy wanted to delete the comment, Quynh Chi suggested responding with a temporary calendar and contact number. A parent sent a photo of a driveway blocked by his own car. Huy called to apologize and took the car to another area himself.

Vy realized that the project was not just concrete and iron. It's dozens of small adjustments while people are tired. People who once supported the Open Garage began to get upset because they had to go around. The group must accept that good goals do not excuse them from inconveniencing others.

In the middle of the week, a heavy rain caused the temporary roof to collapse in one corner. No one was injured, but two cars were wet and a box of spare parts was broken. The department inspected the scene and asked to stop operations. Huy called the contractor. Vy reported even the group's mistake for placing the box too close to the edge.

The contractor wants to rebuild with cheaper materials to keep up with schedule. Ms. Hanh objected. Ms. Van asked them to comply with the standards. Father Vy sent a request to Van Hung to support the cost of new materials, but still did not attach the logo.

Khoa was so tired that he fell asleep on a plastic chair. Vy placed the water bottle next to him. When he woke up, he told her not to look at him like a patient. She said she was just looking at someone who needed a break.

“I don't want this project to be the reason you drop out of school,” Khoa said.

“I also don't want you to be the reason I work too hard.”

The two laughed, but the statement made them set up a mandatory vacation schedule. Quynh Chi strictly requested that no one be on duty for more than two consecutive shifts. Huy put up a sign saying "resting is not giving up".

On the tenth day, the new floor is dry, handrails are installed, electrical outlets are raised, and spare parts cabinets are placed on moisture-proof pedestals. Ba Man Shop is still under temporary roof until the final inspection. The garage is not as beautiful as the advertising photo, but the path is wide enough for two people to avoid each other, the slope is not slippery and there is room for a child to learn to pump the car by himself.

Vy locked the door one last time before opening it again. Khoa stood next to her and asked her if she was nervous. She said yes. He said good, because people who are not nervous often forget to check.

Ms. Van gave new keys to the group, two, clearly stating the keeper. Vy holds one, Khoa holds the other. No one can open the door alone.

They opened an additional “review date” column. Each unanswered question has a recipient and an updated deadline. One parent suggested making the schedule public on a paper board, because not everyone opens emails. Quynh Chi agreed, printed a large calendar and posted it next to the door.

Khoa checked the cabinet and discovered a moisture compartment. They don't know the cause yet, so they don't put new parts in there. Vy wrote a warning, called a contractor, and used the old compartment for items that were not sensitive to moisture. No one tries to act like everything is done.

One unanswered question is who will replace the lamp when the warranty expires. Huy contacted the contractor, but they said the school must establish an annual budget. Ms. Van added that item to the plan, even though she didn't have the money yet. Vy suggests reviewing the maintenance fund every semester, not waiting until the lights break.

Khoa said the garage is open less than before because it needs someone to be on duty. Some students complained. The group organizes training classes to increase overtime, but does not arbitrarily extend hours when there are not enough people. A friend asked if he could open the door himself. Ms. Van said only authorized people can do it.

The new garage doesn't address every need, but every change has a documented reason. Vy feels that makes this place more durable than an "always open" promise.

Vy looked at the two keys. One isn't enough to keep this place, but two isn't enough without someone reporting the error. She understands systems do not replace people; it just helps people remember what to do when they're tired.

On reopening day, they did not hold a ceremony. Ms. Van wants to spend a week testing before calling it complete. Each shift has a short form: are the paths clear, is the floor dry, are there enough tools, who needs assistance.

First morning, a friend forgot to write down the time to pick up the car. Khoa reminded, no penalty. In the afternoon, an electric car was parked next to the charging station. Huy pointed to the line, explaining why he had to keep space. The owner apologized and moved himself.

Mrs. Man has the repair desk again but no longer has a dark corner. The new light revealed oil dust on the background. She said it's good, because when you see it, you can clean it. Vy helps create cleaning schedules, divided by area. The cleaning lady suggested that we should use another towel for oil and dust.

Ms. Hanh tried the slope on a light rainy day. The surface is not smooth, but water flows at the corner. The group added a small groove, then recorded it in the report. No one calls it a major design error, but it doesn't ignore it either.

Khoa goes to the garage two days a week, so new members have to operate more on their own. A student broke the brake cable while studying and was afraid of being scolded. Vy told her to stop, record the incident and call the instructor. Video tutorial shows how to safely remove it. They don't hide your name, because you agreed to share it so others don't repeat it; If you disagree, just write an error.

Huy discovered that the sponsorship board was covered with an advertisement. He removed it, informed security, and then added a rule not to put paper on the information board. Vy suggested placing the board higher, but Ms. Hanh said it must still be visible. They chose a frame with a glass surface and a reasonable height.

At the end of the week, the group compiled twelve responses. There are four positive responses, five correction requests, three unanswered questions. Ms. Van wants to publish everything, including the unanswered questions. Huy is worried that the school will be evaluated. She said the school's reputation lies not in not having questions, but in not hiding them.

Group put a response summary right at the gate. Users can circle the problem they encounter without having to write long. A friend who doesn't know how to read well asks a friend to read it, then points to the path symbol himself. Quynh Chi records the results, not the support person.

Khoa realized that the new opening hours caused some people to come home late and not have time to repair their cars. They tried placing a self-service pump box with instructions, but did not put away the sharp tools. Vy suggests trying with a mechanical pump and monitoring before expanding.

Garages after renovation are not allowed to be the reason new users are left behind. The team continues to adjust hours and service methods according to actual feedback.

On the first day of testing the self-service pump box, the group only ordered the mechanical pump and gave instructions with pictures. Someone pumped too hard and turned on the valve. Khoa stopped, checked and added a maximum pressure mark. Vy records this case in the table, not considering it as user error.

Ms. Hanh tried the pump box from the wheelchair position. The handle is a bit high, the group lowers it. One child said the instructions were too long, so Quynh Chi changed it to three short steps. Ms. Van reminded that all changes must be retested, not just edited on the computer.

Mrs. Man suggested opening hours ten minutes earlier so that first graders could pump the cakes. Huy asked who was on duty. A new member volunteered, but the group asked to try it for a week and then evaluate, not making long-term promises until they knew their strength.

Vy understands that operations are a constant negotiation with time, human effort and small failures. The garage is nicer, but it is the inspection schedule that determines whether it remains safe.

Khoa signed the confirmation, then placed the pen in the common box.

Vy added a second person to check, so that no one could confirm on their own.

Faculty placed the test card next to the light.

Daily.

At the end of the testing day, Vy asked the new members what confused them the most. One person said he didn't know when to stop editing and call an adult. Khoa gave three signs: frayed brake lines, burnt electrical smell, and wheels that cannot maintain direction. They posted a red symbol next to each sign.

Another friend said he was afraid of losing his tools. Quynh Chi pointed to the loan board, explaining that writing names was not to catch mistakes but to find the right place again. Huy added a "pending" compartment for items that cannot be returned immediately. Thanks to that, users do not have to hide a wrench in their pocket for fear of being scolded.

Vy records feedback in the update calendar. The renovated garage not only has a new foundation; it has a habit of asking the user again before declaring completion.