AAA...to...the...r..e..s..c..u..e

We came out to the parking lot at about 10:30 PM after a Friday tournament bridge game in Fayetteville, NC. Rats! The right rear tire was squished flat to the ground.
Have you ever tried to loosen the lug nuts on a wheel that has been professionally fastened by a guy using one of those rat-a-tat-tat tighteners? I have. And in my younger days I may have been able to call forth the strength of Hercules in my scrawny arms and release the super-glued nut from it's home. No more. That's why I have AAA! I'm such a good customer I even have them on speed dial on my cellphone.
After the obligatory 10 minute hold while they are serving other customers I speak to a person who, after taking copious notes on my membership, location and problem, I am given the standard "someone will be there within an hour." The wait begins...
Fifteen minutes later, the parking lot now empty, I get a call from a guy who proudly announces he will beat that time and be there in thirty minutes. This goes in to the file of "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't"
I call after the first official hour has passed and am told "He's on his way." About 20 minutes later I see a tow truck drive by the parking lot without coming in. I call dispatch and they say they will try to reach the driver. They call back in a few minutes with the astonishing news that they can't reach him. No cellphone? walky-talky?
After many calls back and forth I am called after 1 AM by a new man who says there's been a change in plans but they will be there within the hour. Fear of reprisal prevents me from expressing my true feelings lest it cause further delay.
Yes, the truck appears at 2 AM, only 3 1/2 hours after the first call. The change proceeds without incident and we are safely in our beds by 3 AM.
My plan is to get a repair Saturday morning - hah! Tire stores are closed on Saturdays. Hard for me to beleive, but true. I'll have to drive the 200 miles home Sunday with no spare.
So, there we were heading north on I-95 at 75 MPH and suddenly, the cars in front of me hit the brakes and move left or right. It's too late foe me to miss the discarded retread from an 18 wheeler -THUNK! I keep moving when I look in the rear view mirror and see clouds of smoke coming from under my car. As I am planning to exit as soon as I can - another KERBLUNK - and I see the retread has been released from under my car and the smoke stops. Quite enough fun for one weekend.
Now, the good news. After a Monday morning call to AAA, who, by the way, had all the gory details of the Friday night debacle, resulted in apology upon apology which I listened to and said "Fine, but what are you doing for me?" A free one year extension of my membership ($42). I accept and hope I never have to call again.

Shock and Awe

Brethren: I like to visit the Houston Unit 174 website occasionally to see what my old friends are up to. I was SHOCKED when halfway down the page was the header "Arlene Weingarten Day" as these tributes are frequently done post mortem.
I was pleasantly surprised when I found she was not only alive and kicking - but adding to her AWEsome collection of wit and wisdom on her new blog: arlene-notoverthehillyet.blogspot.com. I check it every Sunday morning before Sunday School. I recommend you do the same.
As to the one day tribute I say it ain't nearly enough so I hereby proclaim that my congregates observe 2010 as the "Year of Arlene."
Pax Vobiscum
Rev S

Shameful

Has Mikey Vick paid his debt to society? The Intelligent designer was careless enough to bestow on him an extraordinary combination of eye/hand coordination and he repaid her by shooting, drowning, electrocuting, and smashing into pulp some of her creations that did not meet HIS standards, mostly they were not bloodthirsty enough for his perverted sense of fun.
WAY too soon he is out and believe it or not, may be hired to make millions of dollars a year.
Fine. But to pay his debt (not really possible without suicide) to society he should get one of those jobs and donate all but $100,000 a year to Humane Societies across the country.
How about it Mikey - be a man.
Animal lover,
RevS