The Highlight of My Day

Any of you that reside in my hometown, that happened to be driving down Main Street around 3:30pm, might have assumed there was some sort of emergency happening at Dr. Hopper's office. With a firetruck and city police car surrounding a silver van in the parking lot, you might have even assumed some sort of criminal activity had taken place. Well, rest assured, it was just yours truly.

While driving down Main Street and talking to the kids about their days at school, we all suddenly here what sounds like one of the windows is cracked and air is rushing in. After shushing everyone, I notice the sound getting louder and then feel the steering wheel start shaking. Ah, yes... a tire blew out.

Thankfully, I am right by the turn-in for the dentist's office. I pull in and get out to access the damage. There sits my 3 month old tire, completely flat. Resting on the rims even. I look at my watch and realize that Clayton had court at 3:00 that afternoon and the chances of him answering his cell phone were slim to none. I called anyway.

*ring, ring, ring

"What's up?" In a whisper... obviously in court

"I'VE GOT A FLAT TIRE AND I'M AT THE DENTIST OFFICE! WHAT DO I DO?!" In a not-so-quiet voice.

laughing "Let me call someone, I'll call you right back."

*a minute or two pass

*ring ring - my phone

"Hello"

"Okay, I called the PD and they're sending someone to help."

I was so relieved... the guy that was coming was someone I knew and that makes things easier!

He pulls up IN THE FIRE TRUCK. Not the super-sized fire truck, but the smaller red one that I suppose is used to haul equipment. I get out and immediately start expressing my utmost gratitude for him coming to help me. He laughs and says, "Not a problem."

He starts jacking the van up, and you can hear roars of laughter from my children inside. They were enjoying this ride immensely.

He gets the new - but now old - tire off and begins trying to figure out how to dismount my spare tire from under the van. We even pulled out the instruction manual.

About this time, I see a city police car coming our way.

"Oh my gosh..."

What a spectacle this was turning out to be!

Thankfully he was also someone I was familiar with and he was just being another nice guy to come to my rescue. It took the two of them to figure out how to get the spare tire down, and once they did they put it where my other tire was and lowered the van.

After the van was lowered, I heard the fireman say, "Hmmm... spare's low."

*Seriously?

Well, OF COURSE THE SPARE'S LOW! Why on Earth would the tire that's supposed to be my saving grace in times like these have the proper amount of air inside of it?

They assured me I could make it down the road to the tire place and they'd air it up for me. Clayton calls at this time and I had to just laugh at the entire situation. I explained to him that we were all leaving the parking lot - the fire truck, the police car, and the mini van - and I was on my way to get air. I made it to the tire place and they were super nice. Within a few minutes they had the tire filled and I was on my way.

Turns out I had run over a HUGE chunk of metal. Of all of the cars that had driven on that road before me.. I hit the metal. Clayton and I agreed that I was the best person for that job, considering I had every rescue person in the city ready to come save me.

Jeff, if you read this, you got off the hook this time. Someone else was around to help the damsel in distress and it saved you from being the next person called.