There is nothing more disheartening than looking out the window at work and seeing your car settling down on slowly leaking tire. But there it was, no matter how I cocked my head at it.
Sighing, I went to grab my keys and re-park on the level area of the parking lot - a short 30 foot journey, but depression tends to add distance. I got out and started pulling out my jack and spare - which, it turns out, I've become very adept at doing over the last three years, seemingly having more flat tires in that time than all the previous years of driving.
The cold in the air probably sped along my efforts: within 10 minutes I had the tire off, the tiny replacement back on, and the jack back in the car. I walked back in but my mind was already moving to where I would get the tire fixed - I would have to leave early, of course, with no guarantee of what the cost would be.
So I pulled out an hour early to head back towards home. The curse of the "doughnut" is, of course, that you really shouldn't go above 50 mph - which gives one even more time to think and grumble as you slowly make your way back home.
I arrived at the tire store and showed them the time. We are a little busy, they said - it might take 30 or 45 minutes. Fine, I nodded, and went to sit in the waiting area amongst the stale coffee and History Channel to patiently wait.
About two hours later, I got the car back.
I started to snarl about the whole thing on the way home - the tire, the time - then I started to think of the actual events:
1) My tire did not go flat until I reached work, so I did not have to change it while worrying about dodging traffic.
2) The offending screw was directly on the top of the tire, allowing it to be repaired.
3) I have a job where leaving an hour early is not an issue.
4) The tire repair cost me nothing (apparently the hazard fee was worth it).
Does the whole event make me any happier? Not really. I still hate flat tires (although my changing speed has dramatically increased)? But what it does, correctly, remind of is something that I posted last week from Bernard of Clairvaux:
"We are commended to gather up the fragments, lest they be lost,
which means that we are not to forget even the smallest benefits"
Even a tire and screw can be a potent reminder of the graciousness of God.
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