Tire Store Lobby

Yesterday I couldn't wait any longer to replace the brakes on our car, and because I had a 21 month old with me, I really couldn't read my book or walk somewhere (it was cold outside). So, I sat in a hard plastic chair for about 2 hours, keeping the baby occupied and watching a variety of customers walk in and out while getting a tire fixed or an oil change. I have spent many hours (and many dollars) in this lobby (I have very bad luck with tires and apparently am very hard on my brakes).

The place it truly gross. The walls are filthy- caked with oil and grease and covered with outdated posters for local events, companies that sell tire related products, and old plaques from when the store used to sponsor kids' soccer teams. A Sparklets water dispenser in the corner has most likely never been cleaned in between putting on the next bottle. A box of donuts from the shop around the corner contains the few remaining at 12:30- sure to have been fondled by a variety of non-hand washed customers and workers. You can literally see a layer of filth on the floor (not one you can drop a Cheerio on and claim the 10 second rule), and there is a scary candy dispenser that surely contains six year old candy beans.

Watching customers was almost as interesting as cataloging the disease ridden surfaces. For a while, two chairs down occupied a 30-something year old guy who truly thinks he hasn't left his 20's. His shoes were trendy, his sunglasses too expensive, his hair definitely not cut at the local chop shop for 11 bucks. He screamed single and spent his entire wait scrolling down his address list on his phone.

After he was rescued from the lobby, grizzled 40 something lady took his place. She wore gray sweats, thrift store tennis shoes, and hadn't comb her dyed blond hair that day. She reeked of cigarettes and spoke a few smoker octaves lower. At least she smiled.

Many others came and went while I sat there, but notwithstanding the surroundings, I enjoyed myself reading "Brown Bear, Brown Bear", making fish faces, and plying the toddler with Apple Jacks. What a way to spend nap time!