The Great Tire Change

Yesterday, as I was out showing houses, I noticed that my tire was bulging out at the wall. This was no small bulge, but a giant goose egg - - the tire could blow at any moment. It was late Saturday afternoon and the tire shop I use was not open. Unsure of what to do, I called The Man (my new man, the boyfriend, the guy I am dating….not exactly sure what to call him, so for now, The Man will do...) and asked for his help.

He came to my rescue by driving to my house to change my tire. This was the first time I had even looked at my spare tire in the Audi……after all…..Divas don’t usually change tires…..that’s what we have AAA for. Now, I do say the word usually because I have changed a tire or two in my life…..but I make a much better helper….cheerleader…. supervisor…..question asker……

We take the tire out of its compartment (notice the word “we” which means in actuality that I helped by holding up the compartment lid) and notice it is a beautiful, full-size, brand new tire. I take out the jack and the tire tools (a tire iron and some other questionable piece of metal) and we commence to change the tire…..

Carlito (my powder blue Audi convertible) is pulled into the garage so we have a nice level place to work. The Man proceeds to take off the lug nuts. The end of the tire iron doesn’t fit over them correctly - - apparently they have plastic covers to make the lug nuts all pretty. Try as we might, we could not get them off. I had a brilliant idea….I’ll just Google it!!! The Man was a skeptic….there is no way that Google is going to tell us how to get a lug nut cover off of an Audi tire…..but my Google powers are great and I am anxious to show my new man just how fabulous I am at helping….and ta da… answer found….if you don’t have the super-dooper fancy-schmancy Audi Lug Nut Cover Remover… simple needle nose pliers will do. The question looms…..do I own a pair of needle nosed pliers? A moment of panic hits me……I don’t have all day as I am due to be at a charity dinner in an hour……are we going to have to go to the store?? But then…I remembered my Dad buying me a tool chest and filling it with guy stuff that I never thought I would need…..I remember saying to him, “Daddy, why in the world would I need needle nosed pliers….” I vowed to call him later and thank him!

Lug nut covers are off…….we look at the Audi car jack and attempt to figure it out. Trust me…this is no easy task. There are no instructions (I looked everywhere). It is the most flimsy jack I have ever seen….ever….. When Audi included it, I do believe that they thought no Audi owner in their right mind would EVER change their own tire….so it must be just for show.

We lift the car with the jack (don’t you love that “We” word again).. The Man tries to pull off the tire….and in slow motion….like Jack Bauer….I try to yell “nooooooo”….I saw the jack slipping sideways…..the car moving and then……The Man jerking his hand away and walking off…..oh no…..I hover…..I worry….I look at his hand all scraped up and a bit swollen….and rush him into the kitchen……to wash it and inspect it (don’t ask me….I had to do something…..it worked for my kids….washing their boo boos). This is a critical point in our brand new relationship…..mechanical stuff…frustration…. pain….recipe for disaster…worry…worry..worry…

We head back to the garage to try a second time. (I was worrying that maybe this was not a good idea.) The jack bent, the car fell again…eeek… I went next door to borrow a neighbor’s jack…. The tire eventually got changed, relationship in tact, everyone happy and I made it to my charity event…late but still made it.

Looking back, this was a good thing…..our first “project” together…..the first time we had to resort to Plan B, C, and D….. I asked tons of questions…..made suggestions….and even requested that the jack be placed where it wouldn’t scratch Carlito……and all was well…..there was no clash of egos…..no snippy comments….no frustrating sighs……but then again….we are dating….

I am glad that I asked for his help. That was a big step for me….asking for help…..putting myself out there in spite of my fear of rejection…..my fear that he would be too busy to help……not willing to help……or simply helping out of obligation and resenting every minute of it. It made me feel good that even for something as simple (or not) as a tire change, I was a priority…was special…..was going to be taken care of….and that is a nice feeling.