Flat Tire Life
THWACK!
thwip thip thip thip thip
*PFFFFFF*
"Aww, shit."
I had always envisioned that if I were to ever get a flat tire on the freeway that I'd immediately go careening off the side of the road and become fodder for tow trucks and ambulances. As it were, a flat tire while doing 70mph on HWY 80 is not much unlike doing 70mph on HWY 80 with a non-flat tire. If it weren't for the sound of the air releasing itself from the tire like a popped party balloon, I probably wouldn't have noticed. (me being the oblivious creature that I am)
The idea of being stranded on the side of the freeway at 11:00pm didn't appeal to me so I pushed Mitch to drive to the nearest exit and we made our wobbley entrance into the Douglas AMPM.
I hopped out to view the damage. Mitch's back tire was entirely deflated due to some vicious, sizeable puncture.
"Baaaahhhhh!" I scowled and threw up my hands."Perfect. Abso-fuggin-lutely Perfect!" My previous mini-meltdown at the wedding that afternoon had me already in a down-trodden state ---and now this? Just lovely. All of the things that had been weighing on me these past few weeks seemed to just culminate at that moment with crushing force.I felt as deflated as the tire. I marched my puffy-eyed self into the minimart and dialed the number for Roseville Towing.
A homeless man sitting outside AMPM, who had seen my entrance, watched as I walked back out and locked myself back in the truck. An hour passed and still no sign of the tow truck. I started to doze. I woke up 20 mins. later to the sight of the homeless man at my window.
"Gahh!" I spat in surprise. He looked at me and smiled. In his raised hand he held two AMPM hamburgers--which he waved around in the air like a prize. He pointed at them and gestured that he wanted to share.
I shook my head and couldn't help but giggle.He was obviously benign and there were plenty of people nearby, so and I rolled the window down a few inches.
"Uh,...hi?" I said.
"Hello," he spoke. "I noticed you have been here for sometime and I thought you might be hungry. Someone just bought me these hamburgers. They're fresh. Do you want one?"
My heart melted at the gesture. I couldn't believe how thoughtful this man was. Here he was in the cold--a homeless man who had nothing more than his sleeping bag and bicycle--and he was trying to comfort me with the one thing he had to offer. --Me-- a silly girl who had one moment of bad luck. It didn't seem valid for me to feel so down. I thanked him, but told him I was okay. He even offered to change my tire, before he left.
Twenty minutes and $65 dollars later, the Tow truck man arrived to change my tire and I was on my way. I drove past the the homeless man who sat on the AMPM curb eating his hamburgers. He waved as I drove away. I wish I would've asked for his name. So, that way I could thank him--not only for the help he offered--but also, for putting things into perspective.
Thanks..
thwip thip thip thip thip
*PFFFFFF*
"Aww, shit."
I had always envisioned that if I were to ever get a flat tire on the freeway that I'd immediately go careening off the side of the road and become fodder for tow trucks and ambulances. As it were, a flat tire while doing 70mph on HWY 80 is not much unlike doing 70mph on HWY 80 with a non-flat tire. If it weren't for the sound of the air releasing itself from the tire like a popped party balloon, I probably wouldn't have noticed. (me being the oblivious creature that I am)
The idea of being stranded on the side of the freeway at 11:00pm didn't appeal to me so I pushed Mitch to drive to the nearest exit and we made our wobbley entrance into the Douglas AMPM.
I hopped out to view the damage. Mitch's back tire was entirely deflated due to some vicious, sizeable puncture.
"Baaaahhhhh!" I scowled and threw up my hands."Perfect. Abso-fuggin-lutely Perfect!" My previous mini-meltdown at the wedding that afternoon had me already in a down-trodden state ---and now this? Just lovely. All of the things that had been weighing on me these past few weeks seemed to just culminate at that moment with crushing force.I felt as deflated as the tire. I marched my puffy-eyed self into the minimart and dialed the number for Roseville Towing.
A homeless man sitting outside AMPM, who had seen my entrance, watched as I walked back out and locked myself back in the truck. An hour passed and still no sign of the tow truck. I started to doze. I woke up 20 mins. later to the sight of the homeless man at my window.
"Gahh!" I spat in surprise. He looked at me and smiled. In his raised hand he held two AMPM hamburgers--which he waved around in the air like a prize. He pointed at them and gestured that he wanted to share.
I shook my head and couldn't help but giggle.He was obviously benign and there were plenty of people nearby, so and I rolled the window down a few inches.
"Uh,...hi?" I said.
"Hello," he spoke. "I noticed you have been here for sometime and I thought you might be hungry. Someone just bought me these hamburgers. They're fresh. Do you want one?"
My heart melted at the gesture. I couldn't believe how thoughtful this man was. Here he was in the cold--a homeless man who had nothing more than his sleeping bag and bicycle--and he was trying to comfort me with the one thing he had to offer. --Me-- a silly girl who had one moment of bad luck. It didn't seem valid for me to feel so down. I thanked him, but told him I was okay. He even offered to change my tire, before he left.
Twenty minutes and $65 dollars later, the Tow truck man arrived to change my tire and I was on my way. I drove past the the homeless man who sat on the AMPM curb eating his hamburgers. He waved as I drove away. I wish I would've asked for his name. So, that way I could thank him--not only for the help he offered--but also, for putting things into perspective.
Thanks..