Monday, August 27, 2007

of hubcabs and curbsides

A funny thing happened to me this weekend.

I rented a car, just to have a car. Enterprise had this great deal: half off regular prices for Friday through Monday rentals, a quote of $72 and change. Not a bad price to pay for a set of wheels for three days, especially when the credit card covers insurance.

Sunday after church I was parallel parking the car and ended up scraping the front right wheel up against the curb. Well, I looked at it later and flipped: the hubcap was glaringly bent, seemingly beyond repair. Not being one to give in easily, I said, "I don't want to pay for that. I'm going to fix it."

I should know by now I tend to get myself in trouble, especially when I charge right in without asking for directions or relying on my not-so-impeccable intuition for all things mechanical. Before returning the car, I was determined to fix that hubcap. I took a close look at it, pushed and prodded a bit and decided the edge of hubcap belonged underneath the inner rim of the wheel. A good two-thirds of the hubcap was already wedged in under the inner rim, so I set to work forcing the rest of it in there. I was convinced it was terminally bent but determined to force that baby into place.

Well, I pushed and pulled and tapped with a hammer and shoved and grunted and, alas, I could not fit the entire hubcap inside that inner rim. My back was strained and my thumbs and fingers sore, so I decided it was time to give in and accept my fate: I would be paying more than that wonderful $72 and change for my rental car this weekend.

I washed the grease and grime off my hands, gathered up my purse, and headed back outside. I took one last look at the hubcap and, on my way around to the driver's side of the car, stopped on top of the inner rims of tires, not inside them. In less than thirty seconds I undid my masterful 25 minutes' worth of pushing and pulling and grunting and groaning and that hubcap popped right into place.

At least the guy at Enterprise didn't notice.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

haha.. that was funny

LynnaeEtta said...

and from a long time ago, San! :)

I'm glad it made you laugh, half a year later.