Wednesday, May 13, 2009

"and this long line of cars is all because of me."

~cake

There are no pictures in this post so you'll have to use your imagination.

short version:
hit piece of wood in middle of highway. BIG piece.
goodbye, air in tire.
phone dies while calling for help.
taylor and katie save the day.
cause traffic backup while traveling at rapid clip of 40mph on I-40.
consume alcohol at wine tasting.
take car to shop in AM.
can't get tire to replace until FRIDAY.
cry. insert a few more crying episodes in there, for good measure.

long version:

Yesterday: It is ~610pm. I have gone to get my spider bite antibiotics and another medicine that you don't want to know about, and things for the TAP Wine Tasting (PS, I'm President again). I check out, get a call from my dear friend Jennifer who needs me to bring a knife, and I return to target, purchase it, and leave.

I head on 540, and see something in the road. It is a piece of wood. In the split second I realize I cannot avoid it and I cannot get over a lane, and I end up hitting it. I pull over "just to check" and find my right front tire completely flat. (which also make me think of "his tires were bald, they went flat, so did our love and that was that"--name the movie?)

I call Jennifer, who calms me down a bit.
I begin to call EVERYONE I can think of that might have a boy at their house. I know how to change a tire, but there's no way I could generate enough torque to get it off and on again. I probably called, oh seven people, maybe? Including my friends who had a baby last Thursday. Yes, really.

And I couldn't call Matt because he was at a soccer banquet. I knew he wouldn't be able to answer the phone until he was done, and even if he did, he couldn't leave.

Also, while calling people? My phone died.

yes, really.

thankfully I have a car charger, so I plugged it in and turned the accessory on. and Taylor and Katie came to save the day. thank goodness.

It happened to someone else too (stupid piece of wood!) and we are both fortunate--he didn't have a jack, so I loaned him mine, and I needed a wrench to get the spare tire out since it was still factory installed.

Did I mention I've never had a flat before?

So, once it was on I sloooooowly drove to the TAP thing. And sang this Cake song in my head, as I went 45 in a 75. Rock on.

This morning, when I took it into the shop they told me it would be FRIDAY before they could get me a tire. FRIDAY. Did I mention I bought these tires in February? EXACTLY three months ago? Or how they didn't ask me if I wanted hazard insurance when I bought them, and that would've gotten me a whole new tire?

oh and I forgot my badge this morning. I'm feeling a little like a train wreck. you probably don't want to sit next to me, ride in my car, or anything else, I'm just saying...

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's times like these I'm grateful for AAA. I had to call them to fix a flat tire a month or two ago and they came within 30 minutes. If you're not already a member, you might consider joining up.

care said...

I have, actually. considered, I mean. we shall see.

but in this case I doubt I would have called them. I also have car service through my phone and through my car warranty, but calling a friend seemed the most practical. I am also not sure how trusty and cell phone and warranty things are. we'll see, we'll see.

melissa said...

oh, the lovely andie mcdowell in "michael." homegirl does not get enough credit...

DUDE. boo. your car situation SUCKS. and you handled it much better than i would've, that's for sure. boo boo boo. :( speedy recovery to your tire, and deep breaths to you, cinnamon bun.

The Writer said...

Poor Mattie. One of her shoes got hurt.

Renee B. said...

that does suck! and AAA is totally worth it. they've saved me many times -- flat tires, keys locked in the car, car not starting on a friday afternoon before a holiday weekend in the driveway of mike's grandparent's house in the middle of nowhere...and they're good about making sure you get where you need to go.

plus you get travel discounts! :-)

Gurdas said...

Stumper, one of your best post ever! Now, I am not being mean. The situation sucks, but the story rocks.

 
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