John Dear...Part III.
Geez how long does it take to fix a flat tire? Obviously over two weeks if you're me.
My brother in law came over and replaced the pin I had left out of the axle and put my new tire back on. I hopped on Johnny and cut the crap out of my front and back yard! The next morning I went into the garage and my BRAND NEW tire was flat as a pancake.
ARGHH !!!
I was so disgusted that I just left him all lopsided in the garage (that'll show'em) and tried not to think about it. My next door husband called to see how the mower was working and I told him the mower worked fine but the new tire wouldn't hold air. He told me the rim probably needed some more cleaning up and I told him I'd just take it to the tire store and see if they could put a tube in it.
I just couldn't bring myself to ask for more help from him with my mower...you never know when the car might break down and I wanted to give him a rest period before my next tragedy occured so he would be nice and refreshed when he had to come tow my car home!
With all the rain we've been getting I couldn't really cut anyway so I just stuck my tongue out at Johnny every time I went in the garage and called him a stubborn brat (that'll teach'em.)
I was off today and the weather channel told me I had an hour and a half before the next rain storm. I called my next door husband and asked if I could borrow his jack.
By this point he has me on a "Don't ask, don't tell" policy. He didn't ask what I needed the jack for and I didn't tell him . (Saving up for that blown head gasket...smart girl.)
I took Massey to guard practice and when I got home Zach had ole Johhny jacked up. We took the tire off and I headed to the tire place. The guys at B&L Tire and I are on a first name basis...before I met my next door husband I was up there twice a month with a flat lawn mower tire for them to pump up...until I discovered with a little muscle I could pump them up with our bicycle pump (am I a thinker or what? -DON'T ANSWER THAT ONE.)
It's also the place where I buy my car tires and get my brakes done. The owner is a super nice guy who has helped me out many times. One time when I had my brakes replaced he said I needed new tires badly. I told him I knew that but Tim didn't get paid until the following week. He put four new tires on my car and told me to post date a check for two weeks. He didn't cash it for three (smart man.)
When I went in today I was devastated to find out he had left two hours ago for vacation and I was left holding my tire talking to a big ole man behind the counter I had never met.
Smart me, I asked where James had gone on vacation, threw his wife and daughter's name into the conversation and chatted him up about how long I had been using B&L Tire.
BINGO!! He called "Pepe" in from the bay, handed him my baby's tire and said "Fix this ." I asked him if I should come back tomorrow for it and he said it would be done in ten minutes.
While I waited I brought him up to speed on Johnny's story and he told me I should have come there in the first place. He said they had ANY kind of tire and were a lot less exspensive than Tractor Supply. I thought to myself "Don't ask my next door husband...he'll tell you that you'll regret telling me ."
Ten minutes later, Pepe came back in with my tire and said "No leaking. You want I put tube in?"
My new best friend said "Not if it ain't leaking."
I did a happy dance in my head and I think I may have jumped up and down a little bit clapping my hands together quickly.
I asked him how much I owed and he said "Nothin'...just go on home and cut some grass."
I immediately responded "I think I love you."
I got a strange look from Pepe but the big ole guy behind the counter just chuckled and said "You love that mower, don't ya?" I told him I loved it almost as much as my husband, to which he replied "You ain't gettin' rid of your old man are ya?" I told him no but if one of them had to go it'd be a hard choice.
Fifteen minutes later I was home . The tire was on (thank you, Zach) and I was cuttin' some grass! I WILL admit that I gave the tire a little kiss and whispered in his axle when Zach took the jack down and the tire remained inflated. Zach mumbled something about how stupid I was and went in the house. I jumped on Johnny and took off.
When I was cutting the front yard, my next door husband came outside and gave me a thumbs up. I held onto the steering wheel with one hand and waved my other one above my head in circles like I was riding a bucking bronco. He just shook his head and smiled.
Front yard cut. Side yard cut. Back yard cut. Tire still holding.
It's the little things in life that make me really happy.
I may cut the entire subdivision tomorrow...
Til next time...CUTTIN' FOR REAL COTTON
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