Cracked

Slumped against one side of my office doorway, he said I should come outside. There was something he wanted to show me. It was one of those days that required a winter coat and sunglasses. I grabbed both and met his stride down hallway, out the door. Even a short walk with the guys I work with is accompanied by an easy, joking conversation.

As we stepped outside I wheeled around toward the Turbine Hall of the power plant. Bryan veered the other direction. He motioned me to follow and stopped by the driver's side of my car.

Walking by a little bit ago he noticed the front wheel on my car was cracked. I was a little stunned. Stunned enough I couldn't really speak so the easy conversation fell to him entirely.

Call Olston's Body Shop, he advised. They might have a used wheel. It's about a 15-minute job to mount and balance it on the car. Don't let them charge more than $200.

He popped the hood of my trunk. Started the forward motion without formally offering to mount my spare on the vehicle. Bad idea to be driving down the Interstate at 70mph to work everyday on a front wheel that isn't properly affixed.

Ten minutes later the spare was mounted and the cracked rim was in the trunk of my car. I had a series of short phone conversations with Olston's. They located a used part. It's on order. My car (affectionately referred to as Lola) has a 15-min appointment on Friday to have the used wheel mounted and balanced.

I'm bad about accepting help often times. And I'm painfully embarrassed to admit sometimes I require such help. While I couldn't and wouldn't have set up a situation like this it was nice to sense the way that people look out after me.

He stood up from the side of my car, dusted off the snowmelt from his knees. Sighed and smiled confidently at me with that "We gotcha" sentiment. It made me feel not so all alone.
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Recent Misread: Journal Star Headline "Nebraska Women Suffering From A Case Of The Cold" I thought would address the emotional squish from this brutal winter. Instead it's an article about women's basketball.
New Word I Found: Discomposure
Recent Goodness: I was standing in the aisles of the grocery store. Somebody started singing MacK The Knife. It smeared a smile across my face in remembrance of my grandpa mac.