How to prepare for a flat tire

Last week I had to run over to BGH to do some server work. I had a couple of small disk drive boxes to carry in from my truck. I got out, picked up the boxes, decided to leave my jacket behind because it was fairly warm and not raining any more, put the boxes down, took off my jacket, picked up the boxes, and shut the door. Later in the afternoon when I was getting ready to leave, I couldn't find my keys in any of my pockets. Or anywhere in the computer room. Or under the computer room floor. Or in the hallways. Or in the rest room that I had visited earlier. Or in the Security office. Or in the Security break room. Or in the hallways for a second look. Or in the computer room for a second look. Or in the ignition of the truck. Or anywhere inside the truck that you can see through the windows.

Dave was working at BGH but didn't have a copy of my key with him, so he gave me a ride to my doctor's appointment at 4 o'clock when he got off.

In the evening, Pam brought me back to pick up the truck, and wouldn't you know it, the keys were in my jacket pocket because I had dropped them in there when I first stood up.

As we were leaving the parking lot, Pam noticed that there was something hanging from under the back of my truck. It was a bicycle lock chain that I had used to "anti-theft" my spare tire years ago. The lock had disintegrated so the chain was hanging loose.

--- time passes ---

This week I was scheduled for a blood draw at eight in the morning on Thursday for which I was supposed to fast for twelve hours. So, on Wednesday evening, I rushed bishopric meeting to hurry home to eat before 8 PM. (We ended at 7:55, but still earlier than usual.)

I was on the home stretch when I heard a strange noise coming from the back of the truck. I pulled off and there it was, a totally flat tire.

But the timing was good:

It wasn't dark out yet (which was unusual after a bishopric meeting).
The evening was getting chilly (but I still had my jacket in the truck).
The spare tire was good (and I didn't have to cut off the bicycle chain even though I had forgotten the combination).
The tire was ruined (but Goodyear was having a 30% off sale on this tire model).