January 10: Low Over the Water, 2022 Strikes Again, Exploded Tire

Santiago chases a man-of-war bird . . . 

Just then he saw a man-of-war bird with his long black wings circling in the sky ahead of him. He made a quick drop, slanting down on his back-swept wings, and then circled again.

"He's got something," the old man said aloud. "He's not just looking."

He rowed slowly and steadily toward where the bird was circling. He did not hurry and he kept his lines straight up and down. But he crowded the current a little so that he was still fishing correctly though faster than he would have fished if he was not trying to use the bird.

The bird went higher in the air and circled again, his wings motionless. Then he dove suddenly and the old man saw flying fish spurt out of the water and sail desperately over the surface.

"Dolphin," the old man said aloud. "Big dolphin."

He shipped his oars and brought a small line from under the bow. It had a wire leader and a medium-sized hook and he baited it with one of the sardines. He let it go over the side and then made it fast to a ring bolt in the stern. Then he baited another line and left it coiled in the shade of the bow. He went back to rowing and to watching the long-winged black bird who was working, now, low over the water.

Santiago knows what he's doing.  Has done this before.  The man-of-war bird will lead him to a big fish.  Because the sea is predictable for Santiago.  He knows how this story will end.

I want to tell you a story tonight.  Let's call it "2022 Strikes Again."  

I returned to work today for the first time since December 30th.  I was anxious and tired as I climbed the stairs to my office.  It was a long day of e-mails and reports and phone calls.  By 4:30 p.m., I was exhausted but satisfied.  It felt like I had really accomplished something.  

In the evening, I was hosting the screening of a documentary at the library.  I drove home, picked up my wife and son, and headed back to work.  I was looking forward to a good ending to a pretty good day.  I made a couple stops on the way.  As I was pulling out of a parking lot onto the highway, I felt my car slide sideways on the ice, and something happened.

I thought a chunk of ice had fallen from the wheel well onto the front tire.  There was rumbling, and the car started shaking.  I drove for a little over a mile, and then I smelled rubber burning.  I pulled into the parking lot of a local pizza place and got out to kick the ice off the wheel.

That's when I found out:  the front tire on the driver's side of the car had popped off the rim and pretty much exploded.  It was 6:15 p.m.  My wife called our insurance company to arrange for roadside assistance.  It was about two degrees outside and felt like 15 below zero.  Rob from Auto Owner's informed us that all the tow truck companies were busy, and we had about a three hour wait ahead of us.  

I called the library to arrange for somebody else to screen the film for me.  Then I looked down the road and saw the sign for Superior Express Care, a place where we have the oil changed on my car.  My son ran down the road to see if they were open.  My wife called them.

A guy named Matthew answered the phone and told us to drive the car down the road, and he would help us out.  I slowly drove down the road to Superior Express Care.  Matthew met us outside and inspected the wheel.  Then he went to get a hydraulic jack.  Pretty soon, he was removing the damaged tire and putting on the spare.  When Matthew was done, I asked how much I owed him.

He shook his head.  "Nothing," he said.  "I've been in the same situation.  Just happy to help you guys out."  He nodded at us.  "Stay warm."

I still think 2022 is a burning dumpster heap of a year, but tonight I received an unexpected blessing.  The kindness of a stranger.  Like Santiago, I knew my story was going to end well tonight.

Saint Marty wants to thank Matthew for restoring his faith in humanity.