Here's the way I got to start the weekend.
Just left work, joining the long line of cars on 3rd Street. A Buildings and Grounds Maintenance worker is driving the manlift back to their building which behind me. I'm thinking about the long night I'm going to put in on the homework assignment that's due on Monday.
Next thing I know, the green truck in front of me has slammed on his brakes. I have to jerk my wheel and end up hitting the curb to keep from rear ending him. Front left tire punctured and flat in 5 seconds.
Pull over into Claiborne's building parking lot. The guy in truck is very helpful but I still suspect he started his Friday back in the office. The fact that he slammed on brakes 10 feet away from the car in front of him didn't improve my opinion any. The funny thing is I bought my car from Enterprise Rent-a-Car. Great deal, but they forgot to give me a jack and lug wrench. The last time I had a flat it was at home where my Dad has at least 3 different kinds of jacks.
Helpful guy in green truck's lug wrench doesn't fit my lugs. "Do you have roadside assistance?" What Enterprise gave me along with the car expired back in October. I had just bought a new travel savings membership that included roadside assistance, but it's paper work is sitting in my bedroom where I had been looking over it.
Okay, fine call parents. Nobody's home. Then Chad calls, they're heading to Texas for a RenFaire that I couldn't go to because of above mentioned homework and had just reached Baton Rouge. Great! Detour so you can buy me a lug wrench! I sit down with my "How to Write Animation" book to wait.
Meanwhile, the maintenance guy who was driving the manlift and his partner drove by and saw I was still stuck. They had jack and lug wrench that fit. Got me all changed out and the guy in the Channel 6 newsvan aired up my spare and helped with the heavy lifting. My car is so low to the ground you have to lift it to get a bottle jack under it.
I was finally on the road at 5pm. I get off at 4pm. Call my parents and leave a calmer message on their answering machine. First stop was at the first auto parts store, and if I can't fit the jack I bought under the car, I'm going to have to take it back. Also got lug wrench. The stopped at Tire Kingdom to get tire fixed and oil changed.
Got to catch up on local news and read about half of "How to Write for Animation." Got home, grabbed my SLU library books that were due back, and drove out to the library. Missed my Interstate exit and had to drive 3 more miles before the next exit so I could turn around. Drop books at library, got a Whopper and was devouring that and getting on I-12 to get back home when Dad decided to call my cell phone and check on me.
Got home for keeps about 8:45pm. Had a glass of wine and watched the TMNT episode I just read the script for and went to bed without touching homework.
So guess what I get to spend all day doing today?
Read Free!
The BookWorm
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