My front driver's side tire has been on the verge of going bald for several years. I think the first person commented on it more than a year and a half ago, and I internally thought that I should get that replaced. Months went by, I accumulated a replacement tire and just kind of didn't think about it. This fall, I noticed it was *really* bald, got more comments on it, and once I remembered the influx of snow this winter, decided I'd better finally do it.

In late August, I got a screw stuck in my tire. After attempting a quick repair involving unscrewing it and using inexpensive 'over the counter' methods, I decided to simply get it professionally repaired, and use my spare.

That was more than three months ago.

Today, after driving on a donut spare and a bald tire for more than a season, I got one replaced and one repaired. I went in nice and early (though an hour and a half after they opened. Did you think I was going to walk in at 7:30 despite being awake?) and decided to get it done.

I had been sitting for just a few minutes watching a National Geographic episode on the investigation of the sinking of the Lusitania and reading the captions displayed on screen. I thought of a friend of my friend Cindy while reading them.

Not more than a minute or two later came Cindy, who sat right next to me.

I was so excited to see her. Cindy and I last talked at a vegan food festival where she performed late this summer. I didn't catch up with her as much as I'd hoped (it'd been maybe seven or eight years since we last spoke) but was thrilled to be in her company again.

"Cindy, I was just thinking about you?"

"Really? Why was that?"

"I was reading the captions."

I think she was kind of taken aback by the way she responded with, "reading the captions made you think of me?" and then repeating it in a different form. I replied that I had also been thinking about sign language as well the previous day.

She had Christmas shopping to do, so while they worked on her vehicle, she respectfully turned her attention to that. Though not speaking, it was a treat to be able to look over and see her sitting there.

We caught up on a lot. I found out what her family was up to, I told her about my job and pending changes, I was reminded of her upcoming performance and heard about her firm feelings on never getting married and even after my car was finished (long before hers) I stayed in the lobby to talk to her because I missed our adventures so much.

She was finally done at about noon (probably more than an hour after her) and we went our separate ways. I skipped the trip to the store I always visit when they open, and headed straight to the mall for the card show.to talk to the people I only see at those shows, only to find out several hours later that I'd missed out on the boxes (two boxes of Optic) and several of Bowman. Fortunately, when I came back that evening at 4:15, the baseball boxes were still there, and the clerk (who wondered why I wasn't there at open) was kind enough to grab some extra boxes for me. He vented about how the people who were there early were complaining about condition and pricing, and I told them I'd pass along the info. I've spent a lot of time investing into this rapport with him, and don't want that ruined by other individuals.

The interesting coincidence is the person I'd gone to the mall show to see wasn't there and the boxes I bought after leaving were the ones he wanted to get from me. The entry about the time at the mall is best saved for a different time, and this entry isn't particularly interesting, but I'm typing it here in lieu of a paper journal for some reason.

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