3:00 snapshot #1341: No sleep 'til far too late in Brooklyn

[urbpan]

Alexis and I set off for New York City, the first time the two of us traveled there together. I was quite skeptical about traveling by car--traffic, parking, etc. We were on our way to buboniclou's wedding, where Alexis was going to be the photographer.


On Rt.95 in Stratford CT (Motto: "Speed up! You're almost in New York") we heard a funny sound like we ran over a party balloon full of mirror shards. For a moment we looked in the rear view and discussed what it could be, when I felt the unmistakable rumbling of a flat tire. It was about at this time that Alexis started keeping track of silver linings. The flat was on the passenger's side, meaning I didn't have to stick my ass out into 80 mph traffic to change it. It was not dark out, nor was it pouring rain--it was brightly sunny and in the 90s. I removed the flat and put the donut on, only once knocking the jack over and nearly crushing us both.

We had over 50 miles to go, on roads that were either the Connecticut version of the Autobahn, or in New York City. I was not going to drive on the miniature novelty tire. Alexis, using cell phone and GPS (how would we have survived without these things? I think we wouldn't have, the highway Morlocks would have cannibalized us at nightfall), found us a Tire Superstore. We pulled in at 4:15, too bad they closed at 4:00. It was starting to seem like our prediction of meeting our friends for dinner at five might not happen.

We found a garage that was just about to close, and the nice man there offered to see if he could patch my tire. It took them some time to get the compressor set up again (they were trying to close) but once they did they found a massive tear in the sidewall--no patching this thing up. I was--I'll admit it--despairing at this point. I was fully ready to limp home and set about forgetting about the whole thing. Then Alexis noticed a repair shop dedicated to the brand of car we happened to be driving! It was closed! But since it was 93 degrees out the bay doors were open, so I poked my head in and told my tale of woe. Yet another nice man (people of Stratford CT, thank you for being so nice all the time) told me there was a Firestone elsewhere in the town. Which we got to at 5--they close at 6)

Long story short (everybody: "Too Late!") we got to Brooklyn just a few short hours in traffic later. We checked in with the groom, who neither of us had ever met, hopped on the subway, got off at the wrong stop, bought a new cell phone charger (oh did I tell you my cell phone was dead and I was feeling a huge amount of anxiety about it?) and met our friends for dinner at around ten o'clock. It was a great meal with great friends, then back to wake up the groom the night before his wedding, and start a new adventure in the morning.

Comments

[trenton22.livejournal.com]

I know that I-95 corridor all too well. Glad you were able to get back on the road without too many detours for help along the way. Good call on going for the full-size tire for NYC driving.

[deathling.livejournal.com]

Whew. Thank goodness everything worked out!

[roaming.livejournal.com]

Exhausted just reading that! Glad the adventure wasn't ruined!