Dylan had always loved working with his hands. His grandfather’s old garage had been his second home since he was ten. Now at twenty-seven, he was still fixing up classic cars, one rusty bolt at a time.

But business was slow. The garage was falling apart, and bills were piling up. His friends told him to sell the place and call it a day.

“Come on, man,” his friend Nate said. “You’ve done enough. Just let it go.”

Dylan shook his head. “No way. My grandfather built this with his heart and soul. I’m not giving up that easy.”

One afternoon, a sleek black car pulled into the driveway. The driver was a woman in her thirties, wearing sunglasses and a confident smile.

“You Dylan?” she asked. “I heard you’re the guy who can bring dead cars back to life.”

“Depends on the car,” he replied.

She took off her sunglasses. “It was my dad’s. He passed away last year. It’s been in our family since the ‘60s. I want it running again.”

Dylan walked over to the car, ran his hand across the dusty hood, and nodded slowly.

“This is going to take time,” he said. “But if you’re patient, I’ll make it sing again.”

Fast forward six weeks. The car gleamed like new. The engine purred like a kitten. When the woman returned, she couldn’t believe her eyes.

“I don’t know how you did this,” she whispered. “It’s like magic.”

Dylan smiled, wiping grease off his hands. “Just takes a little know-how and a lot of love.”

“You’re a miracle worker,” she said.

“Nah,” he laughed. “I just don’t cut corners.”

She got in the car, turned the key, and listened to the engine roar back to life. “You really brought it back from the dead.”

“That’s what we do here,” Dylan said. “Fix things. And sometimes, people too.”

As she drove off, Dylan looked around the garage and whispered, “We’re not done yet, Grandpa. Not by a long shot.”

Idioms Used in the Story

1. Call it a day

Meaning: 

To stop doing something, usually because it’s no longer effective or you’re tired.

Example 1: We’ve been working all night. Let’s call it a day.
Example 2: After fixing cars for thirty years, he decided to call it a day.

2. Heart and soul

Meaning: 

With full passion, love, and dedication.

Example 1: She put her heart and soul into writing that song.
Example 2: He gave his heart and soul to keep the family business alive.

3. Fast forward

Meaning: 

Jump ahead in time or skip to a later point.

Example 1: Fast forward to graduation day, and he was top of his class.
Example 2: Let’s fast forward to the part where they fall in love.

4. Cut corners

Meaning: 

To do something badly or cheaply by skipping important steps.

Example 1: The builder cut corners and now the roof is leaking.
Example 2: Don’t cut corners on safety—it’s not worth the risk.

5. Bring something back from the dead

Meaning: 

To restore something old, damaged, or forgotten and make it functional or successful again.

Example 1: That mechanic brought my bike back from the dead.
Example 2: The band was dying out, but their new album brought them back from the dead.