Flat tires & substantial acts of what is likely everyday kindness…
Many years ago while barely crawling along the Cross Bronx Distressway in my BMW, already late for a
most important afternoon meeting at IBM headquarters, the driver next to me pointed to my rear
wheel. Oh no, this must be the worst place in be world to get a flat tire. No real place to pull over, a
tow truck will never get here; pull over here and it will be stripped and on cinder blocks in a flash,
change it here myself I’ll get run over; take the next exit, it’s the South Bronx, best outcome is a quick
death…what did I do to deserve this??? Can’t stay here, go for the quick death…at least the exit is not
backed up… no one is going into this hell… At the top of the ramp, scrawled on what looked like a
bombed out tenement building: Flats fixed.. do I dare enter the dark garage, barking dog, I’m dead…No
choice… here goes. Let me finish up what I’m doing… I’ll see if I can fix it… small grocery around the
corner… sandwich to go… flat fixed… less than nominal charge back on the cross Bronx, barely lost my
place in traffic, not only alive but better more friendly service than in Princeton by just plain folks… I felt
very lucky, my prejudices just didn’t allow me to believe that this is just normal…
Last week, I was cruising along , confident that I would make my 21:30 flight to Sweden out of JFK,
approaching the Belt Parkway, top down, in my Silver Arrow SL500, when all of a sudden Bam, Rumble,
Rumble Rumble!!! I had hit a curb with my left front at the head of the ramp, now what??? Flat grassy
area to the left of the ramp, pull over stop. Left front tire destroyed. Tow truck will never get here,
can’t run on the rim; OK what’s in the trunk… Find a jack, tire iron, spare has air, OK! Turn on flashers,
let’s hope I’m far enough off the road, at lease the passing traffic is on the other side. Grass is firm
enough to plant the jack, start lifting it, 1st lug isn’t frozen, nor the 2nd, start ‘em all. Jack the wheel off
the ground, pull the tire! It is now dark, all lights on the other side. Lift the car some more and place
the spare on the extruding hub. Using my index finger I line up the holes and actually get the 1st lug
started. I’m in business now. Pull it in, stqrt and tighten the others, lower the jack. Original tire too big
to fit in the trunk; however, it does fit behind the driver I after I move up the seat…Start the car, less
than 15 minutes have passed; I’m going to make my plane…I am now qualified for Pep Boys!! Yea!!
Rumble, Rumble Rumble!!! I had also blown the back left, I’m riding the rim. Can’t stay on the Belt,
take next exit onto Conduit, gas station is behind me, nothing ahead except a big Burger King, crawl in
only one parking space take it. Now what? Call my insurance company…I’m covered for local flatbedding, but to Princeton it is $400 cash. Not an option for a cheap guy. Decide to have it flat-bedded
to a Pep Boys 3 miles away. While awaiting the truck two bikers pull in; nowhere to park except close to
me in the driveway. Wallet in front pocket, sleeve over Patek Phillip…How you doing? Not well… Not
good to get two flat tires! How can we help… let’s begin by prying for you. Next thing you know, an old
white guy, in shorts and a sport coat is huddled in deep prayer with a short and a big 50ish black guys.
Jesus this and Jesus that, embarrassed to tell them that I’m Jewish. (or an old Jewish white guy w/o
embarrassed) How can we help, we’ll wait with you for tow truck, make sure everything is cool. Need
new rims, we’ll help. This is what we do. We’re just out for a ride on such a nice night. I’ll go home get
my car and drive you to Princeton, how else can we help? No, please that’s not necessary… I insist just
pay me gas and enough to get a motel, I’ll return in the morning. Never been to Princeton. Nature call,
pulled in saw you might be in need of some help. We have a ministry whose purpose is to help. That’s
what we do, we help people. I’m pinching myself, did I die and go to heaven??? Truck comes, ride with
him to the Pep Boys, which is now closed, dump the car in the middle of the wide-open back lot. The
two guys pull up, the short one now has a white 2010 7-series BMW. Put the top up on my car, lock it,
write a note and dump it and the key in the night drop-off box. Chance anything is left on my car by
morning are slim to none, but it’s insured, plus I have no choice. Off to Princeton we go. Talking the
whole time about life, each of our children, our past indiscretions. Arrive in Princeton at about 12:30am,
quick tour around the town/campus. Drops me in front of my door, good night… At home, I still have
my wallet, Patek Phillip, unharmed, unbelievable.
Next morning I’m getting texts from the short one about joining him for breakfast, and emails from the
other one about helping with Pep Boys. Turns out the two rims are shot. New rimes are at least $800
each, however, none seem to exist anywhere, not even California. Big guy suggest 106st Tire & Wheel.
Call them, talk with Kay, may be able to fix the rims; however, they don’t have anyone to go to Pep Boys
to pick them up; Pep Boys has no rims and no one to take the rims to 106, plus one rim needs to stay on
the car so that they can move the car into the building at night. Oh yes, nothing on the car was touched
that 1st night. Called cab companies, not in their business model to pick up and deliver wheels. I may
have to go to Jamaica Queens do rim logistics. No.. The big guy insists on going to Pep Boys, picking up
the rim and taking it the 1.3 miles down the road to 106. Plus he’ll vouch for me. Talk with Kay, she
says the rim is in bad shape, she’ll have to send it to one of their other facilities. They may be able to fix
it. She’ll do the best she can. Two days later, Kay says that they were able to fix the rim ($170.), it looks
great… will take it to Pep Boys, exchange it for the other one and work on it. Offer to give her my credit
card number over the phone… she declines because they don’t take credit cards over the phone, she
trusts that I’ll pay. Next day, now Wednesday, our first day of class, Kay, now my very best friend, says
that the 2nd rim looks great and will be delivered to Pep Boys. In the mean time I’ve had Tire Rack
deliver 4 new tiers to Pep Boys for their installation. Wearing my “Prof. K.” internet-designed Orange &
Black Chuck Taylors ( and sport coat & Orange & Black tie) I take the next train after my 1:30-2:50 class
to Penn Station connecting to the LIRR to Jamaica. Another beautiful day. I walk the mile or so to Pep
Boys getting there at about 5:15. Unfortunately, my car isn’t finished.. won’t be for about 1.5 hours…
need to get to 106st Tire & Wheel before 6pm when Kay goes home. Its only 1.3 miles down the road.
At worst, I should be able to easily walk it (have finished 14 NYC marathons). Start down the road.. spy a
cab, no light, but I ask for a ride anyway, OK get in…drops me in front of 106 .. how much do I owe…?
Nothing! What?? I insist, no… I’m headed to JFK, I insist. I could not convince him to take any money. I
must be in heaven…
Go in, someone is being helped, I stay out of sight until he is served, then pop out and Kay says with a
big smile… You must be Alain. After a big hug and go on to her boss about how nice and helpful she has
been to me, pay, plus an envelope for her. I leave this enormously nice warm feeling all over and start
walking back. Walk by one guy sitting on his stoop who blares.. nice shoes! Pass by a lady… nice shoes.
Walk by a barber… I really need a haircut . How would they know how to cut a white guy’s hair? Walk
by another. I really could use a hair cut. Turn around… walk back. Guy standing outside asks… may I
help you? Sure, need a haircut… follow me… sit… spend at least 45 minutes meticulously cutting each of
my hairs. Great conversation…Perfect. $17. Unbelievable. Get to Pep Boys. Car done. Perfect.
Moral to this lesson… how was it that a person, completely out of his realm burden with fears and
prejudices that have zero credibility except what may be portrayed by a self-serving media, is treated
with nothing but kindness friendship and decency. I have my wallet, my Patek Philippe, my Silver Arrow,
two essentially new rims, a perfect hair cut and newfound warmth in my heart for ordinary people,
ordinarily doing extra ordinary act of kindness. I sure hope that if some black guy from Jamaica Queens
gets two flat tires in Princeton we treat him with the same ordinary acts of kindness in an extra ordinary
way. I owe it to him to act that way.
Alain