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.
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