Town Fair Tire

March 25, 2013



I know I have written about my tire pressure light in the past. And I thought I had solved that problem. But every once in a while the light would come on and I would fill the front driver side tire with air. Then one day a few weeks ago I noticed a small nail in that tire. But I ignored it. After all it was such a slow leak. I went to Rhode Island and the Berkshires knowing about the nail.


Thursday night the light went on again. And for some reason I didn't feel I could ignore it. I needed to drive to Farmington and then to Clinton on Saturday. And as much as I did not want to go to Town Fair Tire on a Friday after work, I did.


Of course it would be a two hour wait. Hilary very kindly picked me up and brought me back at 5 PM. There was my tire in the shop. "This can't be fixed," the man said. The nail was too close to the rim. It couldn't be patched. And they did not have the right tire there in the store. "OK, just put it back on and I'll come back when the tire comes in." But he refused to put the tire back. "It's unsafe to drive with this tire," he replied. I was frantic. I begged him to put it back. Then I realized I sounded just like the patients who can't understand why they are being cancelled for eating or drinking close to their surgery time. "We'll put the donut on just don't go over 55 MPH." Was he kidding?!!!  How would I get to Farmington? I knew I was overreacting but I couldn't help it.


Well, I took Hilary's car the next morning. Of course I not only woke up late but I spent 15 minutes in the driveway trying to orient myself to her car. I couldn't figure out how to get the CD out in the dark so I drove listening to her music. I felt very out of sorts. I missed my seat warmer and bluetooth.


But when I returned home they had the tire for my car as promised. It took less than 45 minutes to put it on. I don't know what possessed me to go get it checked when I did. Something told me not to drive on it anymore. I can still hear my father (who was very particular about car maintenance) saying, "Lucy, get that checked. What's wrong with you?" Maybe Sal is STILL watching out for me!