When you're a little kid...

...getting a flat tire is exciting.

When you're an adult...

...not so much!

Three times each week, I meet my Daughter-in-law at the older Grands school to take little Mo to her preschool, about 13 miles away.

Once a week we usually cruise through Dunkin' Donuts to get a donut with sprinkles for her breakfast.


However...

One day last week we started heading toward the donut place and the car felt weird. I quickly hit the information button for tire pressure and saw that the right front tire was going flat. I called Mr. Jenny who told me, "Drive slow, if the pressure drops below 21 pounds pull over and call Triple A so you don't ruin the tire, AND don't go through Dunkin' Donuts...head back this way right now."

I was a little surprised that he knew about the Dunkin' Donut stop each week. I hate when he tracks my activities through our debit card account...grrrr...

I told Morgan the bad news about the donut and she took it pretty well. She was into the whole excitement of the flat tire. "Will we get in an accident? Will we die? Will the car crash?"

I think she was disappointed when I told her it wasn't going to be that exciting, but that we had to watch that number carefully and pull over if it changed from 23 to 21.

"And then what will we do?" She asked, big blue eyes shining with curiousity and excitement.

"We'll call someone to help us, but don't worry, this will be okay."

We drove slowly onwards, both totally intent on the gage when Mr. Jenny called back. "Listen, just take it to the place we bought the tires and they'll fix it."

I agreed and then told Mo that's what we were going to do.

She was quiet for a second and then burst into tears.

I was afraid to pull over in case it made the tire pressure drop, but finally she quit crying long enough to tell me...

"Grandma! If the number isn't a two and a one we can't get a PINKY TOW!"


Apparently, she thought it would be super cool to have a hot pink tow truck come and rescue us. Thinking quickly, I remembered the service shop had a TV and treats!

I told her we would be late to preschool, but we were going to get the tire fixed AND she could have a snack there.

Suspiciously she asked, "Like what?" I told her I wasn't sure, but she really needed to help me watch the numbers!

Her tears stopped, and about fifteen minutes later we slowly rolled into the service shop. Hand in hand we walked inside where she told the owner the animated tale of our flat tire. He squatted down so he could talk to her at eye level and said, "I'll fix your Grandpa's car now, you can watch cartoons with your Grandma. Help yourself to the snacks on the counter."

Oh, she was happy. She ate a rice krispies treat. She ate a fruit roll up. She ate a granola bar. She watched cartoons.

She was mighty sad when the tire was all repaired and we had to go on our way about 45 minutes later.

When we got to her pre-school she cautioned me, "Grandma! Don't tell what happened! I want to tell!"

And...

When we walked into her classroom she said, "I'm late! The best thing happened! My Grandma got a flat tire!"

Little kids.

They are so enthusiastic about everything.

Their world's are so bright.

Even without a Pinky Tow.