Car Woes & Appreciation

Things happen for a reason. Whether the "Earth Moves Under My Feet" or that women's intuition, or that gut instinct or just because, things DO happen for a reason.

Take for instance my recent purchase of a tire gauge this past Monday. I have no idea how to USE a tire gauge, but I felt it imperative that I buy one (and why not on a Meijer 15% sale day to boot?). Tonight, my tire gauge came in handy! I left my mom and step-dad's house a little before 8:30p.m., which is 150+ miles and approximately 2.5 hours. T was all showered and dressed in his pj's to sleep en route.

I stopped at a gas station about 15 miles away to fill up before getting on the highway. A very nice man at the pump next to me pointed out that my tire was "low". Now that was a complete understatement! Low is how I felt all day as I laid low enjoying napping and watching football. Low is my investment in my 401k (Ok, that is beyond low). Low is...well, you get my point. My tire was almost FLAT! Maybe the nice gentleman didn't want to overwhelm me, maybe in the dark he thought that my hair was blond, maybe he really did think it was low. Regardless, there I was on a Sunday night in the middle of nowhere, two hours from home and .5 hour from my parents with a flat tire. Sigh...

I give appreciation to this man and his ever patient and loving wife (I'm assuming she was - since she never once glared at he or I, nor did she beep the horn impatiently). He and I pondered my options. He even verified that my spare (aka donut) had air! He also drove his car over to the air pump and assisted me as I filled the tire with air. He had a tire gauge and when I said I didn't know how to use it, he tested the tire pressure for me. I then proceeded to grab my new one out of the car, opened it up and he used mine too. Of course there was about a 4# difference between the two gauges, but at least I knew what mine read when I ventured back on the road. The man was more than pleasant and we talked about how far I had to go and he asked where I lived and inquired about my son.

I didn't drive over 70mph the entire way home. I even stopped three times to check the tire pressure and added air once. I have since mastered the use of my tire gauge!

It is wonderful to know that there are still good people willing to lend a helping hand. To the nameless man and his patient wife at the Speedway on a Sunday night, Thank You!