A Face in the Crowd
ANGIE SUZANNE, mechanic, Hillsboro Village Shell
How long have you worked here? About three years. I went to school at the Nashville Auto Diesel College.
Where there a lot of women in the program? When I was there, about 10 out of 2,000 students. Three of them didn't finish the program.
What advantages do you have being a woman in the male- dominated automotive service industry? Well, I'm smaller, and sometimes having small hands is a plus. I also think I make it easier for other women to talk to me. I think of myself as more of a translator than a mechanic. For instance, I can turn phrases like "little plastic thingy" into something more tangible.
What are some of the more interesting ways or words people have used to describe their car woes? People come in here and I get them to mimic the noises their cars are making. If you can get a man in a three-piece suit to go "wonka, wonka, wonka" and move their arms a little bit, well that's just the best.
What are your hobbies? Actually, I love to cook and even do some catering on the side. A friend once told me I was conflicted because I work on cars and love to cook and have nice furnishings. When I mentioned this to another friend, he told me I wasn't conflicted, but that I was complete, a commune of one. I like that.
