The Hubcap

Ray: Above all instruments, why did you choose a hubcap?

Kevin: Raymond, I am a hubcap player because my father before me was a hubcap
player Raymond, and his father before him was a hubcap player Raymond,
and in order to play a hubcap back in the 1930s, you had to be willing to grab on to the old spoke wheel, tire and all. So, give her, come on.
- Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers

And then there was the ordeal with the hubcap. Last Tuesday, as earlier reported, I had a flat tire in Halifax, just around the corner almost from the Toyota dealership. It was drizzling rain and so Brad was elected to change the tire and touch the "dirty stuff" - you know, the "guy stuff". Not that I can't change a tire, because I can and I have done it more times that Brad, who has no driver's license yet...however, I wanted to give him a "manly task" in light of the dress shopping we were about to do. So he changed the tire effectively enough, but left out one small detail - the hubcap. I recalled seeing it on the grass next to the parking lot where we changed the tire, and I recall thinking it was going to be left behind. I further recall mentioning such a thing and being assured it wouldn't. I can almost recall the hubcap being placed in the trunk on top of the tire. Almost

Great. We went to Toyota, got the new tire, and away we went. As we are leaving Halifax the next day and are already out of the city, I notice - no hubcap. Great. Did Toyota forget to put it back on? So I called them and got one of my HUGEST PET PEEVES - automated voice system. I got to a point where I thought I could leave a message, but was left wondering was I talking to a dead phone, or was something being recorded. I had politely asked that if they had my hubcap, could they call me back and let me know either way. If they had it, I wanted them to send it on to my local Toyota Dealership.

Well, no one called. A week went by so I called them again and found out that they had actually written on the work order that no hubcap was found to put on once the tire was replaced. I looked at my copy of the work order - no mention. Oh, sorry about that Ms Billard, it should have been noted on your work order. No shit. If it had, I would have realized right away that I didn't have a hubcap and could have gone around the corner to the Canadian Tire gas bar and gotten it where it likely sat on the grass. Now here we are a week later, who knows where it could be??? Thanks bud.

So I called the Canadian Tire gas bar - luckily there are a limited number and I got the right one on the first call. Yes we have a hubcap from a Toyota. CAN YOU HOLD IT FOR ME??? Sure, we will put it in the office. BTW, where did you find it - on the grass next to the curb. Oh, ok. Thanks. I will pick it up in two weeks.

So I talk to B-Rad and he swears he put the hubcap in my trunk when he changed the tire. Um, apparently not there B-Rad. But all is ok because I can get it back next week. Saved me from buying a $50 part for the car. I just have to have a naked rear right tire for a little while longer. heh heh.