Mr. Murphy and his damn law

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Current mood: exhausted

Just got home from work. 3 hrs and 45 minutes later. Bad enough day at work... Bad enough week, really...

But 3 hours and 45 minutes between my job and home -- usually 20 minutes. For what? A stupid flat tire.

A flat tire should be resolved in less than 3 hours and 45 minutes. No? Not today, I guess.

So I'm a half mile from my exit. Hear an odd noise. Like the noise a vibration would make, but without the vibration. So I pull off at the gas station... its flat. Well not very flat. There isn't much flat a 45 series (low profile) tire can get.

Air. Nope. Tire is losing air faster than the pump can put it in. OK, call wife. Have wife come to gas station with my extra tires. What the heck, I have 5 spares! Wife calls back. Her truck covered in ice. Where's ice scraper? Windshield wiper is... Cell phone dies!

Now I have my phone on me every day. Charge it every night. Battery lasts 3 days. Nope. Cell phone will always die when tire is flat.

Wife arrives at gas station with spare tires. With the full-size spare in my trunk I now have 9 tires with me. Jack in hand, trusty VW tool kit at the ready... VW lug wrench doesn't fit after market BBS wheels!

Back home. Change out of work clothes into jeans. Get lug wrench. Call tire place. Road hazard: yes, tire in stock: no, get it tomorrow: possibly. OK, I can deal with that. Phone on charger, back to gas station.

Round 2- Lug wrench: check, Jack: check, Spare tire: check check check check check. Jack up car. Jack crank is of course longer than ground clearance. Bust knuckle. Ow! Still going. Wheel off. Other wheel... What the ?!? How does the OEM wheel not fit?!?

Inspect hub. Inspect wheel. Inspect other wheel. Hmmm... Oh, hub spacer. Hub spacer? Weird after market BBS wheels. Just... take... off... Damn! Hub spacer won't come off.

Contemplate. Car up on flimsy roadside jack in gas station parking lot. Flat tire fits, spare tire doesn't. Could take flat tire to tire shop and have flat replaced, but can't leave car in parking lot on flimsy jack. Could put on spare and drive car to tire shop, but spare tire won't go on. What do I... Wait! Roadside Assistance!!

Call VW roadside assistance. Flat tire. Yes, I have a spare. No, I can't put it on. No, I don't think he could put it on either. Flat bed? One hour? OK. Mmm... gas station dinner.

OK, well, the towing went OK, and hopefully I'll have a new tire tomorrow. Got no car until then. But damn you, Mr. Murphy. Did if have to be today? I'm tired.