A Flat Tire

A couple of weeks ago I had a flat tire...well, actually it was a blow-out...

Yep...tire blew...and so did a friendship...at exactly the same time...

I had met some friends after work for a visit.  It had been one of those evenings that didn't really go as expected...people kept showing up that were unexpected...and for the most part, that was a good thing.

So it's dark...and I am on the highway...and my tire just gives it up.  Ugh.  I pull over on the shoulder. 

What to do?!?  Then I remembered that somewhat randomly I had reinstated my AAA membership a few weeks earlier...had let it lapse because I hadn't used it in a year or so...then something came up...I was on the phone with my AAA friend about something else...decided what-the-heck, I should start it up again...just in case I decide to take a trip soon...

Coincidence?  Ha ha.  Never!

Of course, I didn't have my "new" AAA card with me.  Didn't matter.  I called the roadside assistance number on the old one & they dispatached someone to help me...pronto.

In the meantime, I am sitting in the dark on the side of the highway...having a text argument with a friend who couldn't understand...well, let's just say...it was a stupid exchange...and I was frustrated...

With her...with my tire...

Very soon the tow-truck guy arrived.  I unloaded my trunk so that we could get to the spare tire.  I've only had this car a year and have never needed the spare. 

Then he turns to me and says, "Where's the key to your tire?"  Or wheel...or whatever.

I was clueless.  He patiently explained to me that some cars have a "key" (which looks like a socket thingy) that is used to remove the nuts on the tire. 

I don't know.  That's all I could say.

We looked in the trunk and found the bag that it had probably been in orginally.  He suggested the glove box...said a lot of people keep it there. 

Nope.  Not there. 

I search every pocket and compartment in the car.  No key.

The entire time my friend is texting me about what a lousy friend I am....because....well, like I said....it was stupid.

So the nice tow-truck guy says he can't change my tire without the key thingy...so he's just going to tow me to my house...I will have to figure it out in the morning...

Beats leaving my car on the side of the road.  So he calls in to tell whoever what his plan is...I start putting things back in my trunk.

Checking to be sure I didn't leave anything there on the road, I swing my little flashlight beam along the sides of the car. 

Hmmm...what't that?!?  In the middle of the road.  Right by the line between the two northbound lanes.  It's a shiny object.

On a whim, I step out into the highway to retrieve it.  Huh.  It's a socket looking thingy.

So I take it to the nice tow-truck man and he says into his phone, "Oh, she just foumd the key."

Where did you find it?  That was his question.  I said, well it was just laying out there in the middle of the highway....by the line.  He looks incredulous.

Is it yours?  he queries.

Uh...I don't know.

So he tried it...somewhat like Cinderella's shoe...and it fits. 

Amazing.  That's what he said.  To not have my "key".  Then to find one in the middle of the road.  And it fit my tire.

Not really.  God takes care of things for me like that...all of the time.  That's what I told him

Spare is now on.  It's low on air.  The nice tow-truck guy says he will follow me to the next exit to put some air into it so it doesn't go flat...too...on my way home.  He hops into his truck...me into my car.

Turn the key...the one in the ignition. 

Nothing.  Battery is dead.  Obviously the flashers for over an hour had drained the battery.

I jump out...knock on his window...he repositions the truck...gives me a jump...and we are on our way.

There is nothing open at the exit.  So we pull into the closed gas station & look for the air pump.  Luckily there is one.  Yeah!

As he starts filling out paperwork, I head over to the air pump. 

"Air $1.00 ... Quarters only."  That's what the sign said.

Digging around in my purse...I have several "dollars" but only ONE quarter.

So I knock on his window again.  He looks out as if to say, "Now what?!?!"

I explain about the quarters...he says no problem he has some...after an exhaustive search he only has TWO quarters...so...well...there we are in a dark gas station...with only THREE quarters...

...and, yes, I am still receiving "supportive" messages from my friend...reminding me how selfish I am because I am only concerned about my tire...and being stuck on the side of the road...in the dark...instead of giving her the phone number...RIGHT NOW...to a man she doesn't know...

Sheesh.  So we decide to drive a little further down the exit to see if we can find an open gas station or at the very least somewhere to get change for a dollar.  Then I remember that I have a remedy in my trunk.

I pull out my itty-bitty air compressor that plugs into my cigarette lighter.  It's the one I use to air up my lawn mower tires.

The nice tow-truck guy just starts laughing...really hard.  He shakes his head and says, it will take all night for that little thing to put enough air in your tire to make it safe for you to drive all the way home...but sure, why not...let's try it while I finish filling out the paperwork.

So I hook it up...and it starts a whirring....and I am thinking how amusing all of this has been...

I am safe, after all.  And everything's working out.  Well, except for the situation with my friend who has now informed me that I have "thrown away" our friendship...

Actually that was funny, too.  Seriously.

The tow-truck guy is finished with his paperwork.  He walks over to check on my tire. Apparently, the little-compressor-that-could had whirred enough air into my tire to reach the exactly right psi pressure.

Stunned & amazed he turned to me.  He said that he'd never been on a call quite like this one. 

It must be your lucky day.  That's what he said.

When I got home, I tried to call my friend.  She had blocked me on her phone.  She had defriended me on facebook.

...gosh...must not have been much of a friendship to begin with...never thought it would hinge on a random man's phone number...

The next day I went and bought a new tire.  The spare was placed back into it's compartment in my trunk.  I checked to be sure that all that other stuff in my trunk was arranged in some orderly fashion.

It was. All neatly placed there in the trunk.  And laying there on the trunk carpet...in plain sight...

Two quarters.  Yep.  I had everything I needed all along...and one to spare...

Does that ever happen to you?  Do you ever feel like you're blessed...you know...stuff just happens?!?

www.lifelessons-mj.blogspot.com

(c) Mary Jane Sawyer, June 2010