Just Let the Man Do It

There is an episode of Two and a Half Men, the Charlie Sheen show, where the ner’ do well brother, Alan, goes up on the roof to adjust the satellite dish. Of course he falls off breaking both arms. All through the show everyone keeps asking. “Why didn't you let the man do it?” Alan’s defense is, “A man ought to be able to successfully adjust his own satellite dish.”

I have a 1998 Jeep wrangler. I bought it with these wide off road tires. It’s like driving on four giant marshmallows. So when two of the tires went flat I decided I would get standard rims and tires off the used market. There were enough available on Craigslist that I only had to wait a week to get a set in Manassas. I paid a hundred dollars for four rims and tires.

Possessing both the tools and the skills necessary for the job I traded out the wheels. All was good and I loved the new feel when driving was exactly the change I wanted. Unfortunately after a few days of driving I had an odd clicking noise. I tried and tried to figure out where it was coming from, but to no avail. The car still drove okay so I drove it to church on Sunday morning. Just a few blocks from the church I felt a sudden bump and then my left front tire careened across the road while the left front part of the car came to a sudden and grinding stop on the pavement.

I walked to church while calling the tow truck to come for my car. And even though I said I would not be there and paid in advance for their service the tow truck driver called twice during church to say I needed to be there when he hooked up the car. I wasn't and they did just fine getting the jeep to the repair shop.

Between the towing and the repairs necessary to remount the wheel that came off my hundred dollars wheels and tires cost an additional $250.

And everyone said, “Why didn't you just take it to the man in the first place?”

I wish I could assure you I learned my lesson, but I still have my tools even if I don’t have the skills.