BOOOM sha lacka lacka

**Kid Cossack** · 19th January 08, 06:14 PM

The time: 0945 Central Standard Time, current date
The place: Interstate 45, 20 miles north of Corsicana, 20 miles south of Dallas
The temperature: 30 degrees F.
The sound: BOOM shalacka lacka

I'd been up in Gainesville on Friday visiting a friend, and on my way back today I had a blowout on the left rear tire (or tyre) of my car. BOOOM shalacka lacka. What ho, thinks I, and steer gently to the side of the highway, pulling well over with my right side wheels in the grass.

The left rear tire has BLOWN OUT. Not a puncture, not a rip, not a gouge---it suddenly realized all the horrible things it had done in its life and spontaneously erupted into boom shalacka lackadom.

I grumble and say a couple of impolite words, dig through the trunk and retrieve the iron, the jack and the baby spare, and commence to changing the tire.

Natcherly, I am kilted. The hombrewed, shaggy tweed kilt I stitched up this month is not necessarily the thing to wear when you're changing your tire, in sub-freezing weather, on the open plains of North Texas with long haul truckers blowing past you, about two meters away.

But you know what? It worked pretty well. The tweed is heavy enough that it hung well, even with the draft from the passing trucks, and thick enough that me bum didn't get too cold laying down on the pavement to align the jack.

The ladies at the tire place twenty miles down the road thought I was the sweetest thing, too, and flirted me up until the tire (and it's offside twin) was replaced with a new one.

**James MacMillan** · 19th January 08, 06:18 PM

Glad everything came out OK - Think how bad it could have been, like on a front tire and at a higher speed.

But it's true, the kilt can go everywhere - even a tire shop...

**Panache** · 19th January 08, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by Kid Cossack

...The ladies at the tire place twenty miles down the road thought I was the sweetest thing, too, and flirted me up until the tire (and it's offside twin) was replaced with a new one.

Glad your cloud had a silver lining

and that you are none the worse for wear for your adventure!

Cheers

Jamie

**Riverkilt** · 19th January 08, 06:49 PM

Memories. Wasn't long ago I had a blowout deep on the Navajo rez on a sand road during a windy rainstorm. Was kilted in my Leatherneck hand sewn. Changed the tire okay. Seemed a bit easier kilted. Kilt survived fine. Only two other vehicles came by. Navajo guys in pick up trucks who drove on by, never slowing down. The last, a Navajo lady with her kids and mother who stopped to make sure I was okay.

There should be some sort of merit badge for those of us who have changed a tire kilted.

Ron

**James MacMillan** · 19th January 08, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by Riverkilt

There should be some sort of merit badge for those of us who have changed a tire kilted.

The merit badge embroidery picture design ideas are rolling around in my head now..... Hmmmmmmmmm

**McMurdo** · 19th January 08, 07:00 PM

Great story glad it worked out.

**Splash_4** · 19th January 08, 07:16 PM

It must be something about being kilted that causes this. I was at my nephews wedding in Albuquerque (kilted of course), when we were ready to leave, the right rear tire let go.. GRUMBLE and other epitaphs were issued as I spent the next 10 minutes changing a tire kilted.

I think I agree with Ron, the freedom of movement certainly helped. Of course, I drew a crowd of bridesmaids to watch the "kilted guy" change a tire... Fortunately, my wife was there to protect my modesty!!