Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Flat Tires 2; Tom 0

A man  must change his own flat tire or he is not a man!  So it is written in the Law of Man!

We got a flat tire that was so bad it was shredded.  How does this happen, you say?  Well, we were driving on a gravel road (translate: rocky river bed) where the sound of a flat is drowned out by all the rattles and squeaks, so we discovered the flat way after it could be saved.

No problem!

I spent much time getting the proper tools set up for changing a flat last January after my first flat, or so I thought.  I should have actually tried to change a tire.  We were missing one little tool that prevented me from accessing the wheel lugs.

Damn!  So close!

Not to worry.  Someone stopped and took us to a mechanic who would drive up and change the tire.

Two problems.

First, we had to wait until his brother-in-law returned with the truck in five minutes.  So I sat in their living room for a hour. But you knew waiting is a given down here!

Second, I being a man, would not get to change my own flat.  Does it count if I threw my back out watching them change it?  No, I thought not.  I have broken the Laws of Man.

Panama gives and Panama takes.

While we were working on the flat, 2 additional people stopped who also would have helped, if needed.  Too bad we didn't wait for the 3rd person because he is a mechanic and could have saved us the trip to town and the mechanic.

But then, I wouldn't have met a new mechanic!

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