Tired Up and Tired Out

Today was not at all the day I planned. I was going to relax. I was going to knit. I was going to correct papers in an attempt to put a dent in the 75 pound pile that has so quickly accumulated. I might have ventured out for a few errands if the mood struck, but really had no interest in battling pre-Christmas Saturday traffic.

In preparation for knitting the Christmas ornament cover pattern that Jennsquared at Cafe Eclectic has been knitting, I went into the garage in search of a plain glass ball ornament. As I bent toward my big Rubbermaid box of ornaments, right next to my car, I heard sssssssssssssssssss. Uh oh. I have the worst luck when it comes to tires. As soon as I heard the hiss, I knew it was my tire.

It was the right front tire. Crappity crap crap. My day was no longer my own. The tire wasn't flat yet, so I knew I could drive on it to get it fixed. I went inside, took a shower and got ready to go. I planned to go to Town Fair Tire, my usual tire place, but since it's right across from the mall, I figured it wasn't a good idea. Instead, I headed to Stratford, where the Town Fair isn't near a major shopping mecca. No luck. Their parking lot was full of cars and one of the employees met me right at the front door to tell me they we overwhelmed and couldn't fit me in today. Double crappity crap crap. 1:00 PM.

I headed to the Milford Town Fair. Same friggin' story. Overwhelmed, blah blah blah, snow tires, blah blah blah, snowstorms, blah blah blah, we're open until 7 on Monday, blah blah. Triple crappity crap crap. 1:20 PM.

Across the street to Sears Auto Center. No line. Parking spaces. Angels singing. A nice young man went outside to look at my tire and take my info. When we went back inside, there was a line of about 15 people. Where did they come from? As the tire guy put my info into the computer, another tire guy came out from the back and said that they couldn't take any more customers today. Totally backed up. I had to be the last person. "You're so lucky," Tire Guy 1 said. "I know," I said. "Not too lucky," said Tire Guy 2. "Your car won't be ready until 7 or 8 o'clock." Quadruple crappity crap crap. 1:45 PM.

I headed into the mall, prepared to force myself to shop among the throngs of people. I figured I could shop, eat, read a book, knit a little. I'd get through it. I called my boy to tell him my story and he suggested I go see a movie. Brilliant child. I hadn't even thought of it. I window shopped from one end of the mall to the other where the movie theater was. The only movie that I had any interest in was Awake, starting at 2:45 PM. It was 2:40.

I went inside to buy my ticket. "Just one?" asked the sweet old lady at the counter. "Just one." She looked at me with pity, wondering what a fine girl like me was doing all alone at the movies on a pre-holiday Saturday afternoon. I had to tell her. "My car is being fixed and I have hours to kill." "Oh good. You're in out of the cold and you can sit." So cute.

I handed my ticket to the old man ticket taker. He looked at me with pity and said, "I hope you enjoy the movie." "Thank you," I said. I didn't need to tell him, too. He pointed me in the direction of Theater 3 and then started to walk with me. I gave him a little wave and said, "Thanks" to assure him I was okay on my own.

Inside Theater 3, there were 4 other people. 2 couples. And me. Loser. I've never gone to a movie alone in my life. Not that people who do are losers. Really. I remember hearing that it's a sign of intelligence to go to movies alone. I'm not making that up. I really heard that. I don't believe it, of course, but I heard it.

I watched the movie. I was going to knit, but realized that I was knitting on 3 dpns and I'd left the 4th at home. Quintuple crappity crap crap. I just watched. The movie was good enough - not great - not horrible. There was a long stretch where I had to pull my coat over my face and try to peek just a little. Ew. I was also happy that I've successfully gone to sleep during surgery under general anesthesia or else I'd never do it. Ew.

The movie ended and I returned a call to my parents, who had called to check on me during the movie. Then I called one of my sisters. I considered going back into the theater to have my sister talk to the counter lady and the ticket taker, just to prove that I do have family and friends and people who love me and that I was only there alone on a pre-holiday Saturday afternoon because I had hours to kill while waiting for my flat tire to be fixed because everyone in the state was getting snow tires put on because they're afraid of a little snow and I couldn't possibly spend 5 hours shopping shopping shopping at the mall. But I didn't.

I bought myself a gingerbread latte (it came with a mini gingerbread man cookie!) and shopped. I smiled at the kids waiting in line to see Santa. I made a few purchases. Then Tire Guy 3 called. "Nail in the sidewall. Can't fix. Must buy new tire. Come." Um. Sextuple crappit crap crap? Not sure about that one. Looks wrong. Sounds wrong.

Tire Guy 4 said, "Let me show you what we have. Here's a Dunlop blah blah blah." "It's a beauty," I said. "Please just give me a tire and let me have my day back. I'm a girl. I don't know tires. I want to go home." Tire Guy 4 smiled and took my credit card. Back to the mall. 5:30 PM.

Now I felt pressure. I had to do some power shopping. My car was going to be done soon. Now I was hot and sweaty and had to lug my coat. And bags. Then more bags. Then more. At the Sears end of the mall, I realized I hadn't found the glass ball ornaments. I had to buy them. At Target. Other end of the mall. I won't even say it.

Home. 7:30 PM. Sat. Knit. Look:

Ball! I love it.

I wish I could have knit two of them in this time. Then I could say . . . balls.