Lisa Hendrix

Can I kvetch a little?

This morning I was just finishing a shipment of contest prize packages to haul to the Post Office when an alert popped on my computer screen: Dentist. 9:45am.

Huh? I thought the appointment was later this week. But I checked my ecalendar, and sure enough, it said “Monday, Dentist. 10am (Be there early for insurance).” It was then 9:30. Eek!  I scrambled and was out the door in minutes. I pulled out of the drive, got about 50 feet, and realized I had a flat tire.

Bad thing:  I think the last flat I changed was on a a big old Chevy Suburban along the Taylor Highway in Alaska, somewhere between Tetlin Junction and the survey camp I was working at. In 1985.

Second bad thing: My dental clinic charges more for a missed appointment than they do an exam. Also, it’s one of those conglomerate clinics, so there’s not way to contact the local office directly.

Good thing: I was 50 feet from my drive and my nice flat carport and a phone that doesn’t charge by the minute. And I can change a flat.

Photo by Frenkieb (Flickr)

While I unloaded the trunk, I dialed the corporate appointment number and listened to the announcements: “There are now 19 calls ahead of you……..There are now 16 calls ahead of you…” (Second somewhat good thing: They kept me apprised of how long I might have to wait. Small blessings.)

By the time a real person came on, I had the lug nuts loosened and the jack in place. I explained the situation, said I’d be 1/2 hour late, and was told she would inform the clinic. I refrained from telling her that I could have already had the tire changed and been there if I hadn’t been on hold for so long, but otherwise, so far, so good. I hung up and changed the flat in record time, then tooled on over to the dental clinic…

Where I was told that I didn’t have an appointment today after all. My first recollection had been correct. It’s later this week.

But the tire is now patched and replaced, the lug nuts tightened properly with a torque wrench, and the spare secure in its spiffy compartment with jack and tire iron (all done for free by the dealer—yay Les Schwab!). My contest winners’ prizes are in the mail and should arrive by Thursday. And I will  be on time to the dentist after all.

And the last andreally good thing (terrific, in fact):  The tire dealer is right across from WBH’s office, so when I was done, I rang him up and we went to lunch together. I had pie.

Not a bad day after all.

How about yours?