Gold Locks searching for their Goldilocks

Here’s what happens when you have two friends with two different reaction modes. One may tend to be a little over-reactive while the other may be a little under-reactive (hi, that's me).

Here's how it went down:

We are on a road trip. We are in Amy’s new car and she is driving. Suddenly a light appears on the dash. We don’t know what it means. My reaction? Oh well. A light is on now. I don’t even give it a second thought. I know I would get myself out of a lot of pickles in life if I learned to think ahead, rather than my usual “we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it” attitude. But that’s just me and I’ve accepted that.

Anyway, Amy starts to panic, knowing this light has appeared to indicate something is wrong. She is right. I look in the car manual and the book instructs us to “pull over when it is safe to do so” because there is a problem with a tire. We happen to be driving by a small town and pull in. We both are well aware that we are clueless when it comes to cars. I try to calm Amy down by assuring her we’ll change this tire if we need to. She rightfully mocked me by saying “Yah, WERE going to change a tire” and I laugh.

We decide we need to check the tire pressure. We roll through the town and Amy thinks out loud that she wonders “Where the Tire Pressure Store Is”. Tire Pressure Store - HA. We pull into the gas station and agree we need to find out if they have air. As we head into the store we hesitate as we don’t know what to say when we get in. We can’t just say “Hi - do you have air?”. Or, as Amy stated “So, do you sell pressure?” Granted, we may not have been thinking straight at this point. We are both smart people, I swear. I was over-tired and feeling giddy and she was in panic mode. Keep that in mind.

I don’t know how we phrased it but the gas attendant directed us to the air machine in the parking lot. We both pretended to see it - but later admitted we didn't see it. We were looking at the pay phone. He let us borrow the little gadget that checks the tire pressure. Amy knew how to check tire pressure (She’s from Goulais) Then she discovered a big nail in the tire that we ran over. We can hear the air coming out of the tire, so we knew it was bad. We decide we have to really fill the tire with air while we resolve this problem to prevent it from going completely flat. We keep pumping the air in - then checking the pressure. Which wasn’t changing. “Boy - this sure takes a long time” we both agree and take turns putting the air in.

It’s only then the gas guy comes over and tells us we haven’t actually turned the air machine on. Wow. That’s embarrassing. As it turns out - it doesn't take long to fill a tire.










We decided to go to the 24 hour Walmart and buy a tire repair kit. We were told by Amy’s dad that our best route would be to plug the hole. There is even a tire hole plugging kit. Who knew? I decide we should buy a flashlight too (That’s what us city kids think of). We proceed to the check out line to pay for our items. That's when the tears started. I won't say who it was, but well...it wasn't me.

Next problem - who is going to do this repair? We both crack up at my suggestion to simply open our hood. I’m confident someone will come and help us then. “Hi, We need help. Yes, our hood is up - but that was just a trick. Please fix our tire.” I volunteer to wander around to recruit people. I was standing in a different gas station when I looked out the window and see someone crying again. I won't say who it was, but again - not me.

Long story short - a very nice man did come and help us. Even with his children waiting patiently in the car. The man refused to take money from us. All he asked is that we pay it forward. I have no doubt we will.

It’s funny how life sometimes magnifies who we are as people. Amy and I are a good pair. While I am often too laid back, she may be a little tense (compared to me anyway). She is too far right and I am too far left. We meet in the middle. Not too hot, not too cold....we are all on the quest for what is ‘just right’. Just like Goldilocks.

P.S. Thinking about this today, I remember that this isn’t the first time Amy and I had a car adventure together. Eleven years ago she was with me when I drove into a Mike’s Mart. Yes, I said INTO a Mike’s Mart. But that’s another story for another day. Stay tuned.