There are helpful people around!
By Fleur
@Fleura (30170)
United Kingdom
October 15, 2015 5:56pm CST
Last week when I drove Little One to nursery another mother (who I later realised was also a member of staff) drove in and I saw that she had a completely flat tyre. I have a foot pump in my car so I offered to pump it up and see if it would stay inflated long enough for her to get to a place that could repair or change it for her, so I tried that but there was obviously a cut in the side wall because I could feel and hear the air hissing out again. And of course she couldn’t go anywhere anyway because she had to start work! Luckily I wasn’t in a rush so I helped her change the wheel instead. Thinking about it afterwards I realised that is the third time I’ve changed a wheel for someone else but I’ve never had to change a wheel on my own car.
Well obviously I shouldn’t have thought that because this afternoon when out on some errands I found I had a flat tyre. I was only about 6 miles from home, and it was drizzly, going dark, and I was parked next to a kerb making it difficult to access the wheel easily, so I decided to pump up the tyre, leave it for a bit to see if it stayed up, and if so drive home carefully and deal with it tomorrow. I got out my trusty foot pump again and was blowing up the tyre when I was surprised to find I was positively pestered by people offering to help. First by two teenage girls, who looked quite disappointed when I thanked them but said I was fine, and straight afterwards by two older ladies who sounded as though they might have been Canadian and who were impressed I happened to have a handy pump (I keep it in the car all the time). That was heartening anyway! Luckily the tyre did stay up and I drove home so now I will have to sort it out tomorrow.
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2015.
7 people like this
8 responses
@LadyDuck (470823)
• Switzerland
17 Oct 15
@Fleura One of our friend had a tire problem while he was in Miami. Another car honked to tell him to stop that they were going to help. He removed the keys, but the two guys beat him, got the keys and took the car and all his suitcases, a very bad experience.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (135331)
• India
17 Oct 15
It seemed like you were smothered with help
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104628)
• United States
16 Oct 15
They seem to be few an far between sometimes, but there are people out there who are willing to lend a helping hand.
Now I won't bicker with you over tyre because I know that you "across the pond" folk spell things different (see I didn't say WRONG here :) ) but kerb has to be talked about.
Curb is the correct spelling, I have never seen anyone from anywhere spell it kerb.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (30170)
• United Kingdom
16 Oct 15
Over here they have different meanings, kerb is the raised bit along the edge of the road, curb is a verb, for example to curb someone's bad behaviour. It's also a noun for a type of horse bit. I'm sure they all come from the same root, because I suppose the kerb has the effect of keeping the drivers on the road. Just one of those funny things.
And yes over here we drive on the road and when we are walking we walk on the pavement, whereas I know over there you drive on the pavement! And we won't even start on spelling of behaviour, tyre etc. Two nations divided by a common language : )
