::30:: Day 17

A guessing game. What is wrong with this picture?



Okay, I know that my freshly washed car has been out in the rain and is no longer freshly washed, but that isn't it.




Keep looking.



Okay, time's up! Let me see a show of hands from those who guessed a 3 inch long piece of metal sticking out of the flat tire on the car?? Anybody??



Could that be a box cuter blade in there? Could it be so close to the sidewall that the tire can't be repaired?? Why, yes, I think that just might be the case.

Whew! That was fun, huh? Let's not do it again sometime, okay?

This is the car that Stud Muffin took into the big city yesterday for his meeting with the Big Boss Man, because it has a navigational system and keeps us from getting lost and distracted by the shiny lights in the city. This morning as he left for work, he motioned for me to come out on the front porch (in my pj's) to report that the tire needed air and would I get to it sooner rather than later so as not to damage the rim any further.

Sure.

Still in my jammies, I got out the tire inflaterer and started filling the flat up with air. But there was a pesky hissing sound that wouldn't stop. I noticed something shiny next to the concrete floor, so I backed the car up a bit to see if there was a diamond ring or something under there for me. Nope, just a stupid metal blade preventing any of the air I was pumping in from staying in.

Since I certainly couldn't drive the car to get the tire fixed with that thing sticking out, and since the hissing sound was still annoying, I did the only reasonable thing... I pulled the metal sword out of the tire. Just like in the book The Sword in the Stone. I should be king. Now, this was done by a professional (jammie -clad me on a closed track) so I don't recommend you try this at home. 'Cus the annoying hissing got really loud then and the rest of the tire went pffft! Guess I won't be king after all!

The tires on the vehicle are large... about the size of airplane tires, and I knew that under no circumstances was I going to be able to lift that tire off and the spare on, I called AAA. Oh, and I got dressed too. As I waited, I got out the car manual and located the cleverly concealed and, not to mention, bolted securely in place tools and jack. I figured I could at least get the spare tire out of it's hiding place under the car.

My work space in the trunk.

*^$#()&^%%%! jack welded into the compartment!


Holy Cr*p! Where's my secret agent decoder ring and my advanced physics degree?!? Are these car manufacturers TRYING to get you killed while broken down on the side of the freeway (or in your garage in your nightclothes) or do they just not care?

Hooray! My knight in shining pickup truck has arrived!



And his name, according to the embroidery on his shirt is...Peanut. *Snort, giggle* His Mama must of hated him, or else he was the runt of the litter, I don't know.



But he got the tire off and the spare on and was on his way.

Hey Lady! That's a charp Cheby you got there!

I took the naughty tire to be repaired, probably by a guy named Walnut or Acorn or something. He took one look at it in the back of the car and said in his best redneck twang... "That ain't gooood. That ain't gooood at t'all."

And then he ordered me a new tire that will cost $250. *Sigh* I wonder if I can use a coupon for that purchase! Green Stamps?

And that, folks, is why I stay out of the big city!!