Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Terror At 4.5 Blocks

Sweet Gummi Mary! I don't know what can go wrong next.
 
Tuesday, I was mailing my AT&T bill, after first cutting the return part (with all the account information) extra-large instead of tearing it at the perforation, so it wouldn't slide around in the window envelope, and come back to me six weeks later, stamped NO SUCH ADDRESS. 

When I pulled away from the drive-thru mailbox, I noticed something new on T-Hoe's dashboard. 

IT WAS THE FLAT TIRE SYMBOL!

I pushed the button that shows me all kinds of insider info about the operation of T-Hoe's innards. The tire pressure readings showed LF 38, RF 36, RR 36, and LR -- !

-- !!!!!!

That means NOTHING! 

I didn't feel any thumping when  I drove. I've had a flat tire before. It thump-thumps! The car wobbles. But T-Hoe was driving the same as always. How odd. I had just left the Sis-Town Casey's. I hadn't noticed that my left rear tire was flat when I came out. That meant T-Hoe's tire had gone flat in the distance of one mile or less. 

My heart was pounding. I couldn't drive on a flat tire! It would ruin the tire. Maybe the rim, too. Lucky I was RIGHT BY Pony House, where Farmer H was working. I drove the 4.5 blocks from the main Post Office to Pony House, and parked in front. I called Farmer H.

"Are you inside? Can you see out the window? My sensors say that my left rear tire has NO AIR in it! I just opened the door and looked back but it doesn't look flat to me."

"I can see you. That tire is fine."

"Are the sensors on the right tires now? What if it means one of the other tires?"

"I'll come out."

Farmer H walked around T-Hoe, and reported that all tires were fine.

"You've got a bad sensor."

Good to know. Now T-Hoe's brain flashes THREE messages on the dashboard. 

Check Park Assist
Check Suspension System
Check Tire Sensors

It's a wonder I can drive, with all those distractions flashing under my nose.

4 comments:

  1. Being lied to by sensors! You could probably get a science fiction short story out of that ...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kathy,
    Or a pretty-sure-attempted-murder mystery, in case Farmer H rigged up the sensor to do that.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Put a sticker over them, something big and pretty.

    ReplyDelete
  4. River,
    Heh, heh! The gauges are round. Maybe Farmer H can find me a nice sunflower decal to stick on there. The part that flashes the messages is a long rectangle. Perhaps a cute caterpillar decal would do.

    ReplyDelete