“Fortunately, the tire was only flat on the bottom side.”
A common intended joke said by others when a person has a flat tire, most upsetting when an urgent situation.
Never is a flat tire a joking matter, but nothing to do except figure out how to get it changed.
With major construction on ranch frontage, the main highway was closed last month. Repairs are so complex the thoroughfare won’t be opened to regular traffic until this fall.
What was a 16-minutes trip for weekend church now requires 45-minutes, or much longer depending on the detour taken. Of course, the short route is automatically the one to use for most efficiency. So, despite knowing better, the sharp gravel road was selected.
First time there and back was without ordeal other than slow and hazardous with oncoming traffic in the narrow roadway.
Second time wasn’t so fortunate when returning home dash light indicated “low tire.” Hardly sooner than blinked, the right front tire was completely flat no air whatsoever almost impossible to guide.
Sought for assistance, the ranch manager was far away but promised to see about finding another helper. Grudgingly the trunk was opened to attempt undertaking the task at hand.
It could have been worse, but not too much. The car has 260,000 miles on it, and the spare had never been used. Only those who’ve figured out how to put such a jack-and-wrench apparatus into use understand how complicated that can be. It’s completely impossible to describe.
When temper was nearest exploding, a pickup truck stopped: “Need some assistance? Here I can help you.”
Even that stout congenial farm man took a bit of time figuring out how to work the tire changing gizmo. The ‘little donut’ spare in the 12-year-old car had never been used and didn’t have any air in it either. So, kind helper took that “flat” to a farmhouse and put enough air in so the car could limp home.
Unwilling to accept meager stipend for generous service, the good guy finally agreed to a token for his daughter-pony owner. That man was truly Godsend.
While this situation was nerving, it’s incomparable to the “idiot” who passed a 19-car funeral procession on the same road.
Reminded of Galatians 6:2: “Stoop down and reach out to those who are burdened.”
+++ALLELUIA+++
XVI–15–4-10-2022
