When you hear air

Flat tires always happen at the most inopportune times, don't they?

On my way to work yesterday afternoon, I ran by Jim's house to feed his cat. As I stepped out of my car, I heard the hisssssssssssss of air escaping an object. I looked down and saw my tire quickly going flat. Within a minute, it was totally deflated and I knew I needed to act fast to get to work on time.

So, I pulled out my jack and tire-changing tools and got to work. I hate the stereotype that a girl can't do something as simple as change a tire, and I wasn't about to prove it right. I jacked up my car and started in on the lugnuts ... The extra tight lugnuts... The impossible lugnuts.

Starting to get worried, I called work to let them know my situation. No problem, everything's cool.

Then I got back to work on those pesky lugnuts. I took the jack down and tried to loosen them while my car was on the ground (which I should have done to begin with). But, they didn't budge. Now I'm really concerned. Jim is out of town, as are all of the guys I know in Chattanooga (it is, of course March Madness and there's games going on in Nashville, so where else would they be, right?!?).

I eventually gave in to my worries on stereotypes and called Jim. "Guess what, Jim ... I'm stuck at your house with a flat tire, and I can't get it changed." Not a phone call he wanted to receive during weekend basketball festivities in Nashville, I'm sure!

To make a long story short, Jim called his mother and stepfather and they trekked to Chattanooga from Ringgold to help me out. What lifesavers!! Homer (Jim's stepdad) said the lugnuts were on super tight, so that make me feel less like a prissy girl who can't change her own tire. But, I felt terrible for interrupting their Saturday evening.

So, now I've got the stylish donut tire on my car until tomorrow - when I can get to a tire store to hopefully have them patch my dead tire.