All I Want is to See You Smile, If it Takes Just a Little While...
Previously, Chapter 5: And If You Don't Love Me Now, You Will Never Love Me Again...
As soon as I popped the trunk open, I heard Susan get out of the car. She wasn't gonna let me change the tire alone.
Using the tapered end of the tire iron, I popped the hubcap off the rim and then loosened the lug nuts. While sliding the jack under the car, I noticed Susan had her eyes on the traffic, which was dangerously close to where I was working. She looked concerned.
I placed the hubcap on the sidewalk upside down and started tossing the lug nuts in it after I spun 'em off, each making a loud clang when they landed. Susan stood close by with her eyes on me and the traffic.
While I was busy changing the tire, something I could do in my sleep, my mind wandered. I wondered if Susan still loved me, or if the flat was a bad omen signaling the end of our relationship.
I felt like such a loser. I couldn't even get her home without having an issue with my fucking car!
Then, when the flat tire was off and in the trunk, and I had the spare in place, I looked up. Susan had the hub cap in her hand and began handing me the individual lug nuts as I needed them. It was a nice surprise and definitely took the edge off.
Then she yelled, "Watch out, Vin!" when I leaned a little too close to the street and the fast-moving traffic. I started thinking she still cared and that maybe, just maybe… she still loved me.
Once the lug nuts were hand-tight, I lowered the car and put the jack away. After fully tightening the lug nuts, I popped the hub cap back on, wiped my hands with one of the faded red shop rags I kept in the trunk, shut the trunk, and then we both jumped back in the car.
I looked over at Susan, and she was smiling. It took a little while, but that's all I needed to see. Then she said, "You changed that tire quick, Vin. Nice job!"
We talked nonstop the rest of the way home, agreeing that we needed to make some changes and that being too possessive was suffocating our relationship. We had to allow each other enough space to have fun even when we weren't together. She was at Fisher Junior College, an all-girls school, making some really good friends in the dorm. I had to let her have fun and enjoy the college experience. She deserved that. I apologized for being so possessive, and we moved on…
Looking back, I'm not sure we would've had that conversation if it hadn't been for the flat tire. It was the perfect distraction, and it saved our relationship. Once the spare was on and we were back on the road, it was much easier to discuss our relationship and what we had to do to save it.
Once we were finished discussing it, our relationship was on solid ground, and we had a great weekend together…
After that, I started thinking about going back to school and getting my life headed in the right direction. It was 1977, I was 21 years old, in love, and it was high time to start thinking about tomorrow…
All I want is to see you smileIf it takes just a little whileI know you don't believe that it's trueI never meant any harm to you
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To be continued…