So there I was, livin’ large in the fast lane…just a gettin’ it down Highway 17 (affectionately know as The Black Canyon) with tunes on the radio, cruising along thinking life just couldn’t get any better.

• A Guy and his Big Truck…
• Man and Machine, The Way Things Are Meant To Be…
• The Freedom of the Open Road…
• A Oneness with the Highway…
• The Gestalt of Driving…
• Look Out, Little Boys, Big Diesel Pickup Comin’ Through

(OK, so I was only driving home from the office, but the concept is there)

“But wait,” said I rudely interrupted, “what is that strange vibration that is getting progressively worse… this is not The Way Of Life in the Fast Lane. How DARE something break in on The Moment?”

CA- BLAM!!!!!!!

Truck swerving, stuff flying through the air, major crunching noises

Split second to Remember the Lessons: drive into the swerve, NO BRAKES, slow it down, get it OFF the road

A moment of absolute silence (OK the engine was still gurgling at idle and vehicles were whizzing by… but it seemed absolute). Still alive, didn’t hit anything, no bodily damage (to me), no large hunks of truck visible in the rear- view mirror.

Golly   {insert more appropriate adjectives and descriptors here}    , it appears I blew out and shredded a driver’s side front tire at a rather high rate of speed.

The rest is anti-climatic: surveyed the damage, took the lazy route and called the auto service we have paid into for years to get the tire changed, surveyed the damage once more and effected minor repairs so I could ease back to the house… hooray for ball bungees…

Life in the Slow Lane, Livin’ Small       

‘Certainly made the sushi and Saki with Mark and Sandra taste much better last night, even with the anticipation of expensive new tires and body work!