I had one of those experiences yesterday that renews your faith in your fellow man...
After a great lunch with a friend and mentor, I headed out to run errands before meeting my kids at their bus. On my way to a neighboring town, I heard a "whoompf" coming from the rear of my car. Within a half mile, my right rear tire was completely flat and my mini-van was riding on the wheel's rim. Luckily, I was near a commercial intersection and was able to pull into a parking lot to get out of traffic.
I called our insurance company's roadside assistance, only to find out the car wasn't in the system (it should have been-- our insurance was up-to-date), and even if it was, it would be an hour before anyone could get to me. Across the street was a service station. I walked over and asked the guys working there if they could help. They told me to drive the car over and they'd see what they could do.
Within minutes, Chris, the guy in the oil-stained overalls, had my car jacked up and the wheel off the car. While he was doing that, I hit the car's owner's manual to see how to get out the spare. I pulled up the rug in the back seat of the van to release the spare which should have been screwed under the car, but there WAS NO SPARE. Chris politely reminded me that Toyota Siennas these days come with "run flat" tires, and that often there is no spare.
I felt like an idiot-- and then it all came back to me. Our 2008 mini-van needed new tires last winter, just 2 1/2 years after we bought it. Those fabulous "run flat" tires didn't last long, and the replacements were $1000. Too rich for our blood. So we opted for the less expensive, may-get-flat-if- punctured model. It never occurred to us that the car didn't come with a spare tire!
Chris looked at the tire and told me he could fix it. He took it in the garage, plugged the hole, filled it with air, replaced it on the car... done. "How much do I owe you?," I asked, the former N.Y. City girl inside of me sure that I was about to seriously get ripped off. "$12," he replied.
My reaction was one of stunned and grateful silence as I took a $20 bill out of my wallet and gave it to him.
I head to my original destination, a gift store nearby. As I'm making my purchase, I converse with the owner and share my adventure. She immediately knew who I was talking about. She had had the same pleasant experience with Chris...
SO, if you have car trouble-- find Chris at Pen-Fair Service on the corner of Penfield and Five Mile Line roads. My husband always says, if you have something nice to say-- SAY IT!