Fixing a Hole

The only time a tire goes flat is when it's pouring down rain. It's a proven fact.

Take this morning for example. RedFaery got a brand-new set of front tires for her car yesterday. She drove her car to many different places, and somewhere along the way the tire got cut. However, it didn't go flat until today, when it's raining so much our basement drain is backing up.

She was on her way to the unemployment office and I was on my way to work when she called. The tire was dropping quickly. She was pointed towards the Pepboys she got the tire from and only 3 miles away, so I told her to try an make it. A couple minutes later, she calls back - no can do, and she's pulled over in the parking lot of an abandoned Dillards.

Putting on my best superhero voice, I say "I'm on my way!"

Halfway there, she calls back saying that since we have towing on our insurance, she can call them to come tow her to the shop. Seeing miles of paperwork and headaches dancing in my mind, I assure her that I'll get the tire changed so she can continue her day.

As expected, her little Aveo has a "toy" tire and one of those little hand-crank jacks. I've used both of them many times before, so I know what I'm in for with these things. However, what I didn't expect is that the jack point of her Aveo is so far in that you cannot turn the crank on the jack! Not that I didn't try, however - I finally admitted defeat after 20 minutes.

On to Plan B - I tell RedFaery to go ahead and call for roadside assistance. So much for my pride - I sit in my car and brood.

She tells me that after calling two different places, one could finally make it out to us after a 3-hour wait. Seems my theory about tires going in the rain is still being proven all over Louisville...

Three hours? Leaving my wife stranded in the rain on wide, wide Dixie Highway in an abandoned parking lot to wait for those slugs to drive up our insurance rates? Fuck that!

Plan C...

We head in my car to Autozone. Did you know you can get a decent pump jack for $22? Well worth the investment, especially if you have one of those little hand-crank jacks that aren't worth shit (and oddly enough, cost more than the pump jack at Autozone - WTF?). Go get one now. Seriously.

So back into the rain I go with my new toy in hand. Fifteen minutes later I have the tire off, and a few more after that I put the donut on in it's place, and she's ready to roll!

I sit at Pepboys dripping and waiting for the verdict on her tire, hoping to know something before I head home to change. I decide I can't wait anymore and tell RedFaery to call me when she knows something. I'm only 5 minutes gone when they tell her they can take care of her pretty quickly. By the time I've showered and changed into dry clothing, she's home and making me a sandwich for lunch.

I'm still floored that the reason I had her get new tires in the first place is so she wouldn't be stranded on a rainy day like today, yet it happened anyway. The best laid plans of mice and me...