19th Century Car Wash

I came upon a dying man who whispered to my ear
before I leave this splendid planet I want you to write what to me was most dear
"In my youth I worked in a car wash" he said in his trembling voice as I listened,
"It was a work in heaven: I sprayed, I sudded, I buffed 'till I felt me arms no longer
and sometimes I cursed when a leaf would fall on a newly cleaned windshield! I traveled the world washing cars from the Dead Sea to the Himalayas, I did self-service, full service and "scrub an' jub", something in between. I often saw rainbows thanks to the high pressure spray and of course I met my wife at a car wash, a fall afternoon in l967, she rolled in an Oldsmobile that we had so many good times in. Sure my hands rubbed in grit, bird droppings and even acid stains but we was outside, in nature, like next to a forest I couldn't 'ave been better; working and talking all day!

There were times the old man repeated himself and at times his voice faded to where I could only hear "arewah" and "udds" but then he got very excited in speaking about a spot where he worked in the mountains, "It was in Alaska and our water was laced with antifreeze, the work was hard but the pay good. One day a colleague kicked a frozen sludge formation under the tire and he shattered 3 toes like it were porcelain."
The day was coming to an end and I promised to man to put it down on my blog which is what you have before you. May he rest in peace.