peace and tires.

This week I have a nice stretch of time off.  Wanting to take advantage of this time, I began planning a trip to Wyoming. My idea was to drive up, go camping, and explore some of the famous National Parks. The only thing on my list before I work two days in a row, prior to this time off, was to have my oil changed.

Mt Evans

While sitting in the waiting room of Midas early Saturday morning, the guy working at the front desk came over to talk to me with a clip board and papers. He assured me that "everything looks great" as he rattled of a list of engine parts that were still functional. Then he laid it on me. The one thing that was not so great.  My tires, it would appear, were so worn that he couldn't even rotate them. I would need to purchase 4 new tires.

view from Green Mountain

Imagine this. You're standing in line at the grocery store, and someone collapses.  What do you do? Do you run to them? Are you the first to pull out your phone and call for help? Do you pass out as well? It's simple fight or flight, and as a nurse I've been in situations again and again that show, for the most part, I'm a fighter. It's an intrinsic impulse I have, to respond quickly when people are in need and to keep my head on straight during crisis.


Now back to my story from Midas.  When the gentleman working told me my tires were shot, it was as if I just observed my car collapse, and I didn't respond in fight. I flew. In truth, I froze. As he read me lists of options available, he might as well had just read them to the chair and not the person occupying it, because I literally did not hear a word. In my zombie like state I signed a form giving them the go ahead to change my tires, meanwhile I had no idea what I had just decided to purchase, all I know was that he told me it would cost nearly $800.

As the door slammed shut after he walked back into the garage, I was awakened from my trance and immediately began to panic. What had I just agreed to pay for? I rose from my chair and did what any adult, independent, successful, traveling woman would do; I called my dad.

He was unavailable, but lucky for me, my Uncle Joe was free and ended up donating a large portion of his afternoon to the aide of his nearly-in-tears niece half way across the country.  This included speaking to various tires salesmen on the phone, sending me a link to find a local store, telling me, "don't cry! don't cry!", and going to the Sears in Indiana, PA to shop for tires with me over the phone while I ignorantly wandered around the chain in Denver.

In the end, thanks to my uncle's excellent negotiating skills (over the phone no less), I was able to purchase a great pair of tires for less than was quoted to me at Midas. And I still had the entire afternoon in front of me to complete my errands and go for a hike.

my car at Antelope Island in UT, (from my visit with Jocelyn&Mike)

In just over two years I've traveled nearly 40,000 miles in my little red Sentra.  A lot of miles and wear on the car, but so many adventures and lessons and joy. Nothing lasts forever, and it's no surprise I was due for a new pair of tires.  I'm so grateful this was the way I learned they needed to be updated, and not after a flat on some lonely highway in Wyoming.  While this recent purchase will delay my adventures to WY, I'm not disappointed.  I've been able to see and do so much even in just this past month. I know there will be time for exploring it later.  

As far as the job search, I haven't heard anything back from any Denver hospitals.  The 3 travel companies I have recruiters for are all looking for positions, and I have peace that there will be a job for me at the end of this assignment.  Whether it's CO, WA, or CA, it will be full of adventure, probably tears, and hopefully more and more joy.