Easing Into Adulthood With Common Sense and A Flat Tire
I've not felt much like being funny lately. I think I'm indulging in "Empty Nest Syndrome" early. I like to get a jump on things--mostly negative things. The other day Kid 1 took her 9-year-old charge to the aquarium in Connecticut. They had a nice time until the car suffered a flat tire on 95 between exits.
She called me sounding calm and asked "Mom, how do you change a flat tire?" Proud of my independent, capable daughter I replied "you take it out of the trunk under that felt lid and the jack is in there." Then I realized that at 108 lbs. soaking wet she wasn't strong enough to wrestle the full-size spare out of the trunk. Still reveling in my pride I said "Just get Alex to help you lift it out". With the slightest edge of incredulity in her voice she said "I can't let Alex out on the highway. He'll wander into traffic. (The "you must be a complete idiot" was the subtext.) "Don't we have AAA?" (I should add here that Alex is a wonderful, bright child who suffers from extreme ADHD (unmedicated) and also Asperger's Syndrome (undiagnosed). Upon exiting the car, the first thing he would have done was get hit by a car or two or three..)
"Um, no. But I'll call and join and have them send someone right away!" So I did. I foolishly thought that I could pay $75 and have someone come out and change the tire. Nearly $200 later, the AAA guy was on his way. Why was it so much? Well, I had missed the "sixty day renewal period" but I had not missed the "sign up and need same day service" or the "extra charge for putting Kid 1 on her own card", etc. etc. At that point though, if the nice helpful man on the other end of the phone had said "that'll be $4000", I'd have said "sounds good to me!". Soon after, Kid 1 and Alex witnessed a car accident involving three vehicles occur about 100 feet in front of them. What are the odds? The nice AAA godsend guy came by and said "I'll be right back, I have to help them first." Sigh.
When Kid 1 returned home, she had a splitting headache and was just about to be late for her library job. I had called to inform them while she was stuck on the highway. "I kind of don't want to go now." So I called again and again outlined the sad saga of Kid 1's flat tire experience. They clucked in sympathy and excused her for the day. I explained to her that every driver on the face of the earth had suffered through the flat tire experience at one time or another. And that it always sucks.
"This is one of those things about adulthood that isn't in the manual," I explained helpfully. Then I told her how proud I was that she stayed calm, hadn't dissolved in tears and hadn't let Alex out of the car to 'help' with the tire. I didn't really say that last part out loud. Kid 1 is practically a grownup and it was a good thing this time but I doubt this sort of maturity will make me feel any better next September.
She called me sounding calm and asked "Mom, how do you change a flat tire?" Proud of my independent, capable daughter I replied "you take it out of the trunk under that felt lid and the jack is in there." Then I realized that at 108 lbs. soaking wet she wasn't strong enough to wrestle the full-size spare out of the trunk. Still reveling in my pride I said "Just get Alex to help you lift it out". With the slightest edge of incredulity in her voice she said "I can't let Alex out on the highway. He'll wander into traffic. (The "you must be a complete idiot" was the subtext.) "Don't we have AAA?" (I should add here that Alex is a wonderful, bright child who suffers from extreme ADHD (unmedicated) and also Asperger's Syndrome (undiagnosed). Upon exiting the car, the first thing he would have done was get hit by a car or two or three..)
"Um, no. But I'll call and join and have them send someone right away!" So I did. I foolishly thought that I could pay $75 and have someone come out and change the tire. Nearly $200 later, the AAA guy was on his way. Why was it so much? Well, I had missed the "sixty day renewal period" but I had not missed the "sign up and need same day service" or the "extra charge for putting Kid 1 on her own card", etc. etc. At that point though, if the nice helpful man on the other end of the phone had said "that'll be $4000", I'd have said "sounds good to me!". Soon after, Kid 1 and Alex witnessed a car accident involving three vehicles occur about 100 feet in front of them. What are the odds? The nice AAA godsend guy came by and said "I'll be right back, I have to help them first." Sigh.
When Kid 1 returned home, she had a splitting headache and was just about to be late for her library job. I had called to inform them while she was stuck on the highway. "I kind of don't want to go now." So I called again and again outlined the sad saga of Kid 1's flat tire experience. They clucked in sympathy and excused her for the day. I explained to her that every driver on the face of the earth had suffered through the flat tire experience at one time or another. And that it always sucks.
"This is one of those things about adulthood that isn't in the manual," I explained helpfully. Then I told her how proud I was that she stayed calm, hadn't dissolved in tears and hadn't let Alex out of the car to 'help' with the tire. I didn't really say that last part out loud. Kid 1 is practically a grownup and it was a good thing this time but I doubt this sort of maturity will make me feel any better next September.
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