Growing Up

As an adult, we usually don't feel that need to learn new things. We think that since we already graduated from high school, we already knew enough of the world. Especially if you're already working & receiving good pay each month.

But this is a trap that we put ourselves into. Since learning is actually should be a lifetime process, stopping halfway will be our own loss. That is what I learned last night.

I never change a car tire by myself before. Even though I have been driving my own car since 8 years ago, there were only several times when I found myself in the predicament that needed me to change the tires. During I'm still living with some housemates when I'm still single, there were about 3 times that my small Kelisa tires punctured. And in the all 3 times I got my housemates to help me to change them.

With my current Proton, it have been 4 years without any incident, until last night...

When I was driving to go to the mosque for Isyak, it happened. Suddenly there was a blast followed with a hissing sound at the rear of the car. Immediately, I felt the back of my car lowering down. Parking at the side, I watched helplessly the punctured tire blowing out air until it went flat. It seems the damage is worse that I imagine.

Since the road was pitch dark without any road lamps, leaving the car at that place was out of the question. I drove slowly to a nearby mamak restaurant to park my car before walked to my apartment. That took about half an hour. After the reality sinks in, I made the decision to change the tire by myself - even though I never done that before.

First the preparation. Que the Indiana Jones music....

Dum dudum duuuuum.....

Check the correct procedure how to change car tire in the net. Found a step-by-step Youtube video. Check.

Dum duduuuum...

Changing into some appropriate clothes, I grabbed Lia's car & head back to the restaurant. Check.

Dum dudum duuuuum.....

Check the tools. Socket - check. Wrench - check. Jacks - check. Torchlight (since it was in the middle of the night) - check. I'm ready to go.

Dum dum dum dum dum.....

Then I'm stuck. Literally stuck. One of the reason that I'm always depending on my housemates to change the tire previously was because I just can't seem to be able to loosen the nuts. Even though I had tried as I might last time, the nuts just didn't budge. What made it harder last time when my weight was sub-60kg.

Jacking the car. Must be done properly for safety reason.

And that still happened last night. Shucks!!!

Man... I should be able to do this. At work, I designs industrial machinery. In the past, I'm even part of a maintenance team. This should be a piece of cake. I know the theory. It's all in my head. I can even picture it. But the damn nuts just wouldn't budge.

MENTAL POWER!!!!

And then the glimmer of hope came. There was the click sound - I managed to loosen one of the nuts.

Ahhh... At last. That extra 5kg that I got after marrying Lia came into handy this time.

Then the 2nd nut....

The 3rd....

The last one was a bit tight. It was the tightest of them all. I can only loosen it after standing on the wrench with both of feet & rocked it a little bit.

And.... Success!!! All the nuts had been loosen.

That was the ONLY difficult part in changing the tire. After that it was smooth sailing. Jacking the car. Dismantling the punctured tire. Installing the spare tire. Tightening the nuts. Lowering the jacks. And lastly, final tightening of the nuts. Success!!!

Upon further inspection this morning, it seems there is a mechanic in Pasir Gudang that lost his 13mm spanner.

A 13mm spanner sticking out like a sore thumb.

It was a great experience. I guess even in my 30s there is still a lot for me to learn after all.

Some dirt on my hand - nothing that I couldn't handle.