20 days ago, I posted on Steemit about getting a flat tire in my true-blue bug and how I got extremely LUCKY that my neighbor watched it happen and helped me fix it on the spot.
Anyways... it happened again... and I did NOT get so lucky this time around.
I was with my best friend/cousin, Rosie, who I've mentioned before (she's wanting to join Steemit now too!!) and we were both nervously laughing and feeling pretty unprepared for the situation.
My first instinct was to call a man to come help.
In fact, my very first instinct was to call @jeffjagoe to help since I know he's visiting the cape with his family and it would have been a hilarious way to meet up and get my tire fixed all in one ;) but instead we resisted the urge and phoned the fam.
Although we were in a safe spot and I felt capable of changing it (after having my neighbor talk me through the steps last time) we decided to call Rosie's dad, since we were on our way to meet him, and he lives close by to the incident, anyways.
Just to be clear, Rosie's dad is also my uncle, and totally could have driven 2 miles and helped, but instead, he was entirely USELESS -- actually, his phone conversations was counterproductive to the cause. He made us feel small and incapable with sexist tropes: "You girls better not try and fix that yourselves! You're gonna hurt yourselves! You won't be able to! Call AAA. blah blah blah. You're gonna get hurt."
I went from feeling sort-of capable but nervous to totally helpless in an instant. I almost wanted to cry, so I called my older brother, for a second opinion.
He said: "Every functioning adult should be able to do this Mo. You are a functioning adult, you can definitely do it, especially when you were just shown, just look at the pictures and be safe."
He said: "the only way you will seriously hurt yourself is if you put the jack on wrong and climb under the car!" I know he just said that second part to sooth my nerves, but it totally worked. I wasn't an idiot, I could do it.
That's exactly what I needed to hear :) and I COULD do it. So, I did:
yay !
xx Monique
ps. A tow truck did come but it wasn't for me ... it was for the girl next to me who got a flat tire in the same spot this morning!!:
pps. let me know if you ever need car help ;)