Air and a Spare

Red Light has been bugging me for over a week to attend a speaker presentation she arranged for the Community Room — something about caregiver service and free offerings for seniors.

I never said I would attend, even though she’s persisted by next giving me a flyer promoting the session and then, while working out in the Pain Cave yesterday, a text message reminder about today’s event, 10AM.

It’s not that I’m all that worried about the atmosphere in the Community Room … I saw Head Maintenance Guy heading out with his family yesterday and he didn’t look ill to me.

While Assistant Manager and her husband are walking slow, heavy, skin yellowish, looking jaundiced, HMG looks hale and hearty. So I’m less worried about the Community Room and just don’t want to be part of Red Light’s latest venture.

Waking up this morning, my plan was to dip, make myself scarce. Heading out at 10AM is early for me, but I managed to complete my morning ritual and was out by 9:45.

Less than a block from the complex I heard a big BANG then a THUD, thought an object had hit the rear left side of the car and was being dragged.

Pulling over into the market parking lot, I checked, saw nothing wrong, drove around in the parking lot for a bit, heard nothing, so assuming the sound was something in the trunk tipping over, I continued on.

On the freeway, about five miles from the complex, I heard THUD CLANK THUD CLANK THUD CLANK and figured I’d better head for the Jeep Dealership, five or six miles further, because it might be something under the car having come loose.

I never made it.

The thudding and clanking got very loud, steering wheel felt funny, cars honked to let me know there was a problem, so I pulled off at the exit, parked by the side of the road and ………

Driver Side Rear Tire

Locking myself in the car, I tried calling my insurer’s roadside assistance.

That didn’t work. Their mobile system app wouldn’t accept my password.

After several tries, I attempted to change my password.

That didn’t work either.

I googled telephone numbers to contact a human voice for my insurer's roadside assistance.

That led to "cannot complete your call" and a random "let me tell you how to save money on your medical". So, after 30 minutes or so of frustration, I called the dealership, asked for a referral for roadside assistance in the area, made contact with a service, ETA 20 minutes.

While I was waiting, a Black guy hauling a flatbed drove by, stopped in traffic, backed up and said, "There’s a tire place just around that corner. If you pull up there, they can change that tire for you".

"Oh thanks, but I’m waiting for roadside assistance".

"Cancel ‘em. It will save you money. Just drive around that corner. Tire place is just on the left-hand side".

I really didn't think I could drive any further without damaging the rim, so I said "If roadside doesn't show soon, I’ll think about that. Thanks for the information".

"No problem. When I passed you, saw it was an old Black lady, I thought to back up, let you know".

WTF!!!!! SOAB!!!!!

Did he have to add "old"?

I don't see myself as old. I see myself as "a senior", but not old or elderly.

At any rate, roadside assistance showed up.

Then I was off to the tire shop to purchase a new spare — not the tire shop in that area, but the one I usually frequent for air checks.

Telling the kid on the air station that I needed an air check and to purchase a new spare, he asked what happened.

"It just blew up", said I.

He said the Jeep is a 2017, "tires are good for 5/6 years, so you probably need new tires or all will eventually blow".

I don’t drive enough to cause that kind of wear — only 164,000 16,412 thus far, so I didn’t buy it.

Tire guy inside the office said all my tires looked "brand new", so something had to have lodged in the tire, eventually caused the tire to blow.

I didn’t want to wait 2-1/2 to 3 hours for them to put on a new tire, return the spare back to the trunk (they were swamped and backed up), so I’ve a service appointment scheduled for my next free day, Thursday.

All in all, there are two ways I can look at this day.

Inasmuch as the BANG THUD began so close to the complex, perhaps it was a sign to stay put, go to Red Light’s thing.

On the other hand, the BANG THUD might have been something that was brewing and would eventually catch up with me anyway. At least it happened in an area where I was relatively safe, on a day I had the wherewithall to deal with it.

So, who knows the what/why of it, but all toll it was a good day and worth the expense.

Roadside Assistance: $105

New Tire: $183.77

Escaping Red Light’s function: Priceless.

Returning to the complex, I saw Head Maintenance Guy. He's back to work and wearing a mask.

I haven't seen the other office personnel, but I'm assuming they're all back, all wearing masks now.