Ya gotta play to your audience

When I was much younger, my car burst into flames in the driveway.

The firemen came in their big red truck, delighting my 5 yr old, and they put out the flames and left the battery in the snow beside the car, hissing and snapping.

The firechief-guy stared at it and I helped him for a while. Then, intending to be witty, I asked, "Dya think it'll start?"

He tore his eyes from the battery, pushed his firechief-guy helmet back on his head so I could see him roll his eyes before he said, "No, ma'am. i don't think it will."

I wanted to kick him in the seat of his big yellow firechief-guy pants: