Tires

There is a thing that is difficult for me that should not be so difficult, which is putting air in the tires of the car I usually drive. One of them has a slow leak, so I have to do this every so often, and it's ridiculous. The gas station air hose never seems to fit onto the valve; the best I can do is barely get it on so that air escapes from the tire but does not go in, which is totally maddening. Especially because I am usually in an uncomfortable position, getting my hands filthy black, with a loudly whirring air pump reprimanding me for the quarters I am uselessly plunking into the slot. The last time I did this I paid for four separate rounds of air and was no better off when I left than when I had started. This makes me feel like a total girl. Once I sheepishly asked Dale to do it for me. He had the same experience I did, which made me feel somewhat better. But the tires still need to be filled from time to time.

For example, yesterday when I got out of my choir concert, the front driver's side tire was flattish. Much as I wanted to ignore it, I knew that was a bad idea. I was in an unfamiliar downtown neighborhood. I found a gas station; but this gas station had no air. Hmph. I used my phone to find another gas station in the next neighborhood over. At this one, the cashier was reluctant to give me quarters, and the clientele was a little intimidating. But they had air. So there I was in my choir clothes and again, the blasted air hose would not attach to the tire valve, and the air was shooting out, and it was raining, and I'm in this absurd squat trying not to get my skirt in a puddle, and my hands are killing me from trying to shove the thing on and keep it there. I thought: There has got to be some other way. I looked around for someone else to do it for me, but there were no attractive options. I left with the tire no better than when I arrived; I was just hoping it was no worse.

And then, when I told this story to Jess and Jules that night, Jess said, "I have the solution for you." Apparently, if you go to any Jiffy Lube, they will fill your tires for you for free. Even if you are not having them do anything else. You just drive up and ask, and they hop to it. I did this at the Jiffy Lube at U Village today and it was exactly as she said. I didn't even have to get out of the car! It was wonderful! And no, I did not feel like a girl, having someone else fill my tires for me: I felt like a queen. What a life improvement.