The Check Engine Light and a Story of Mental Health

A Nepali professional working in the United States compared his mental stress to the ‘check engine’ light that appears in a car’s dashboard, using it as a metaphor to recognize his own struggles. Garage owner Tenga openly shared with his friends the emotional pain he endured after his wife left home, as well as the coping mechanisms he adopted to overcome it. Ultimately, Tenga and the Nepali individual acknowledged their inner turmoil and chose counseling and treatment paths for improving their mental health.

“My wife left me, man!” The words slipped easily and naturally from Tenga’s mouth, as if he knew me forever. I was surprised since we had only met that very day. I had come to the garage simply to fix the persistent ‘check engine’ light blinking on the dashboard of my old Toyota Camry—not to hear a stranger’s family story.

Yet, as Tenga bent under the hood, tightening some nut or bolt with his wrench, he began talking. “Ah!” was all I could reply. Our native language has many sweet and sharp expressions to soothe someone’s pain, but in this foreign country’s English, my “Ah!” sounded as dry and flat as stale bread.

The garage was slightly warmer than the biting cold outside. An old electric heater in the left corner hummed loudly. An old radio hanging on the wall softly played a blues song from the 70s, evoking a different era. The smell of burning motor oil, rubber, and the strong aroma of black coffee spilled somewhere in a corner combined to create an odd yet inviting atmosphere in the garage—a place where new visitors rarely lingered long.