Tired Out

Yesterday I woke up early, drank some delicious French press coffee, and did a couple loads of laundry preparing to face one of my least favorite tasks.   .   . Fixing a flat tire.  Tires have been my mortal enemy since I started driving.  During the middle of my insurance license training (where if you miss a few even a few minutes you have to retake it all) I found myself stranded on the side of the highway, flat tire, no cell phone and no spare.   Thankfully A truck driver stopped and drove me to work.  I did have that moment, after I already had gotten into the truck, when you think “oh wait he could be a serial killer”, but He was not and I live to tell the tale.  Another time I was out of town, and a flat tire sent me to Walmart begging them to honor the tire’s warranty.  Which eventually they did.  .   . After a Dorothy-esque melt down crying “There’s no place like home”

Needless to say I have a bad history with tires, and even after a couple perfectly normal tire experiences can’t help but brace for disaster.  Everything started out just fine with snow on the ground I decided to call the AAA guy to change the tire out for a spare instead of doing it myself.  I’ve changed tires before and am capable of doing it, but why crouch in the snow myself when I can call a man in a jumpsuit and heavy gloves to do it for me?  He arrived an hour before the estimated time (Which was awesome!!!) and changed the tire lickity split.  He also gave the standard “Don’t drive over 50MPH and its only for temporary use” instructions, which I have memorized over years on tiresome adventures.

Once the spare was on the real fun began.  I went to BJ’s to get the flat repaired, it wasn’t holding air and I knew for sure there was a nail in it so I figured it would be simple enough.  Well the BJ’s on Sheridan (that was supposed to replace my BJ’s on Young St which had a wonderful tire garage) does not have a tire garage.  I asked an employee there just to make sure it wasn’t hidden away somewhere and He replied that they had a Deli instead of a garage.   .   . Why a Deli and a garage are mutually exclusive I do not know.  My theories are as follows the Cheese wheels  are jealous of real wheels,  some very creative people use bologna  to patch their tires or the fresh tire smell wafting through the warehouse somehow makes sandwiches less appetizing thus devastating Deli sales.   Whatever the reason I journeyed on to another BJ’s.

At the next BJ’s there were tires and people who fix tires, but a two hour wait before they could even look at it.  Apparently in Buffalo tires are a common Christmas gift and Tire places are overwhelmed the week after Christmas with people getting there gifts installed.  Well since I left the tire and kept my car waiting two hours was a snap.  I went to Walmart to watch people paw through the clearance Christmas paraphernalia.   It was only 50% off I wait until it’s at least  75% off before I get into it myself.  I also watched a product  demonstration and received a FREE decorators knife valued at $5.  After I spent about an hour and 45 minutes I went for a cup of coffee.

I picked up the coffee at precisely the right time because a man called from BJ’s with some bad news.  Bad news is always better when you have a fresh, hot cup of coffee.   I was thankful things timed out that way something simply delightful to help ease the blow of “Well your rim is shot”  I drove back to BJ’s and they showed me the air escaping by the massive dent in my rim and rolled the poor tire back to the car. 

Since it was getting late in the day there was nothing more to do than go to musical practice.  Of course it’s great to go to a place where bursting into song is perfectly acceptable.  Being that today is New Year’s Eve and my mechanic should be spending time with his family I’ve resolved to deal with the car next year.  I spent the night at my mom’s house to avoid the angry tailgating of driver’s who would prefer I not drive 50 in a 55 and sit here thankful that a screwed up tire is my only problem.  In a world where there are people that are homeless, hungry and suffering in ways I can’t even imagine a flat tire is not too bad at all.