Book 2 - Candice:
I drove my Subaru Outback south to the edge of Nelson, stopping at the Chevron station. I topped up the tank, went inside to get a coffee and returned to my car. I pulled out my B.C. map and looked at my options. If I really wanted to go north, I was better off to go south and then east. That's the way it was in the Selkirk's, the Purcell's, or any of the other mountain ranges in the Rockies for that matter. I always did want to run up the Rocky Mountain Trench, and this was as good a time as any.
I thought back over the past four days and smiled to myself. Out of the blue and through pure dumb luck, I had met Constance and had spent the entire time in a state of sexual bliss. She had been a tonic of unimagined strength despite our fifteen year age difference. I kept thinking of the movie "In Praise of Older Women," and adding an Amen to the title. She was staring right at her fiftieth birthday and yet acted more like a thirty year old playmate. In those idyllic four days, I had learned and experienced more in giving and receiving sexual satisfaction than I had in my entire adult life.
I'm sure that anyone who saw me would immediately recognize the smug smile of a sated man. If I was going to die, this was the way I wanted to go. I sat in my car lost in my reverie and wondering how I would top this first adventure in my new-found freedom. The impatient blast of a horn was enough to get me going again and I pulled out onto Highway 6, southbound to the Crowsnest, Highway 3 east. I thought briefly about continuing south into Idaho, but decided that side trip could wait for another day. I had my own territory to explore, and that's what I planned to do.
I was barely over an hour into my drive along the Crowsnest Highway and just approaching Cranbrook when I felt something odd with the handling on the car. I had been cruising along at a sedate 90 kph when it began, and within a minute or two I was aware that something was seriously wrong. I found a wide shoulder and pulled over to the side carefully, bringing the car to a stop. I got out and carefully looked at the wheels on the driver's side before walking around the rear of the car to survey the passenger side.
The problem was obvious - a nearly flat right rear tire. I had picked up a puncture, and after swearing at the inconvenience, I opened the rear hatch, took out the three bags that blocked access to my spare, and began my work.
When I had finished my last day of work, I had turned in my company car and purchased a two year-old Subaru from a dealer. I had the car checked out thoroughly by my friend and mechanic-neighbor Don Childs, and he pronounced it fit. He also gave me an 18" square piece of ¾" plywood to use if I had to change a tire on soft ground. I made a mental note to thank him with something tangible, as it was exactly what was required on this highway shoulder.
I wasn't likely to be recruited by any NASCAR team for my tire changing skills, but with the clever and efficient system Subaru and most other Japanese makes had in storing and organizing the tools, I was done in less than fifteen minutes. I had a pair of leather work gloves in with the plywood platform and I managed not to get too dirty with the effort. Luckily, the weather was nice and I wasn't under any stress, so when all was said and done, I wasn't in a bad mood at all.
It was only a few kilometers to Cranbrook, and as I arrived in the town I began looking for either a Subaru dealer (unlikely) or a Yokohama Tire dealer. I found the latter first and pulled into a parking slot in front of the main showroom doors. As I approached the front desk I was greeted by an attractive young lady in light blue coveralls and the name Candice stitched above her breast pocket.
"Good morning. How can I help you?" she smiled.
"Good morning ... Candice. I have a flat that needs repair," I said, examining her casually.
"Well, why don't I get one of our guys to bring it in and we'll get to work on it. It shouldn't take too long ... it isn't busy this morning." She had a lovely smile and I've always been a sucker for nice smiles. Even when I'm angry or stressed, a nice smile can bring me down to earth in a hurry.
"Thanks." I continued to assess what might be under the coveralls. Damn ... Constance had really changed my outlook on women in a hurry.
I helped myself to a hot coffee, although I think it had been made a couple of days earlier. I found a year old car magazine with an article on the Subaru Impreza WRX and settled in to wait for the tire repair. I had been there for about twenty minutes when an older man came through the shop doors, saw me sitting in the little lounge and approached me.
"Are you the owner of the Outback?" he asked in a friendly manner.
"Yes."
"I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to repair your tire. It's been badly cut by some piece of metal I think, and I don't have any way to fix that. You're going to need a new tire. I can show you if you like."
"Sure ... let's have a look." I wasn't that I didn't trust him, but I was curious what would cause this kind of damage.
He showed me the inside of the tire and he had chalked an area about three inches long on a diagonal at the very bottom of the sidewall.
"I'm guessing you picked up a metal shard somewhere and maybe you rubbed up against a curb or something that pushed it through. Once the tire got hot on the highway, it would start to leak and deflate."
"Well, do you have a replacement tire?"
"No ... that's the thing. These aren't the standard factory tires. These are high performance touring tires and I don't carry them here. No call for them. Let me check the computer and see where I can get one."
We walked back to the desk and he started to enter keystrokes and within five minutes he had the bad news.
"The closest one I can find is in Maple Ridge. There's one in Edmonton too, but if I can catch the Greyhound, I can get the tire from Maple Ridge on the bus and it'll be here late tomorrow afternoon. That's the best I can do," he said apologetically.
"Well, luckily for me, I'm in no hurry, so why don't you order the tire and I'll just keep the car for around town until it arrives."
"Fine. I'll put the spare back ... no ... wait ... I think I've got a tire that's the same size in the bin. It'll do for a day or two as long as you don't try anything fancy with it. I'll put that on and you won't have as much imbalance as with that compact spare."
"That sounds great ... thanks a lot," I said genuinely. Small town service ... there's nothing like it. I left him my card and told him only the cell phone number was active. I asked him if he wanted an imprint of my Visa, but he said he'd sort it out when we finished putting the new tire on tomorrow. Small town trust to go with the service. I felt good about staying here for a day or so.
I had my car back in ten more minutes and he promised to call me when the new tire arrived and he'd put it on right away. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Candice watching this interaction and she was smiling. I was about to walk out the door and get into my car when it dawned on me that I would be staying overnight in Cranbrook and I had no idea where. In a moment of inspiration, I turned back to the counter.
"Excuse me, Candice. It looks like I'm going to be staying overnight. Can you suggest a Bed and Breakfast or even a motel that would be comfortable?" I flashed my best smile and I got one in return.
"Sure. Mr. and Mrs. Straker have a very nice place on the west end of town. You probably passed it when you drove in. It's a big yellow house with two big trees right in front. Would you like me to give them a call as see if they have room?"
"That would be very nice. Thank you Candice." Again, I gave her the 100 watt smile. "By the way, my name's Lee Stephenson."
