Go Ahead, Make (Fun of) My Day

Tuesday, the twentieth of December, 2005 A.D. (or C.E. if you would prefer), has been absolutely craptastic.

Let’s just start with waking up, which is how I tend to start my days. Normally, though, I don’t wake up with a fever and what can only be described as an immovable wall of mucous in my sinuses. I notify work that I’ll be in late, if at all. Hours later, with fever now abating, I decide to head on in to the office. Well, that was the decision, anyway.

Flat freakin’ tire.

I could’ve just called it a day and given up, but that only would have been delaying dealing with the tire, and there’s no guarantee I’d be feeling better tomorrow. Maybe it was the slight fever, as I’m just as bad at procrastinating as the next man.

Did I mention it was 39 degrees out and raining? And let’s not forget the insidious biomass claiming squatters rights in my sinus cavity. Sure, I have covered parking, but there was no way I could maneuver the car completely under the shelter. I worked on the jack and tire in dry conditions but managed to get pretty darned damp while dealing with anything in the trunk (i.e. getting out the spare and jack, putting in the tire that had betrayed me).

Okay, the spare was now in place, and I inspected the flat. A screw. Well, screw you, too, screw! It was a pretty new tire and still under warranty, so I hopped in and drove to the nearest franchise of the tire store where I’d purchased it. No problem, they said. No charge, they said. Just leave the tire overnight, they said. What?!! There’s a few things I expect to find at place of business specializing in the area of automobile tires, things such as tires, wheels and patches. Patches? They apparently don’t need no stinkin’ patches. In an astounding failure of inventory control, this wondrous facility was completely out of patches. Quick thinkers that they were, they had ordered some from another outlet when they realized they had absolutely zero in stock. Delivery was expected in under two hours; as it was now around two in the afternoon, I told them to fix it as soon as possible and then went to get some lunch, pick up some means of self-medicating and run a quick Christmas-related errand in the neighborhood.

Eventually I checked back and was told my tire was ready. Luckily they were a little more efficient in actually putting it on the car and I was able to stroll into the office as the daily exodus home was beginning for most. Did I say stroll? Struggle would be more accurate as, by this time, I had realized that I had apparently strained something in my back while dealing with the flat. Stupid tiny-ass, manufacturer-supplied tire iron.

So now I sit, slightly feverish with an aching back and what may be a new form of life dwelling in my sinuses.

How was your day?