Big day today. We're moving to a new apartment a few blocks away tomorrow. There are boxes everywhere, but otherwise this morning was not unlike the many that had come before. Hot Coffee Hot breakfast ICECAST Jazz radio Around 8:30 Coral left to go to work and I wished her an excellent day. As the door closed behind her I was sipping from my mug and checking in on our new sundog friends. Without much delay, Coral returned to the door and called me. "There is something wrong with the car!" "Come and see, they took the wheels!" Uninterested in bad jokes, but willing to participate, I followed her to the carport. She's a lot of things, but never one to make such jokes. This morning was no different. When I arrived at the carport, there she was: The 1998 Toyota Rav4 up on blocks. Three wheels on some broken up pieces of concrete and one on a round of wood. Our new winter tires and wheels: absent. There appeared to be some lugs scattered in the previous nights snow as well as footprints around the perimeter of the vehicle. We were robbed. Normally, this is a challenging situation. Ours brought the additional stress of having a move scheduled for the next day. Switching gears on my coffee and jazz morning, I phoned the RCMP and not long after Officer Younguns arrived and said that there is a lot of crime in the city. That he would write a report which the insurance company would use in their claims process. The officer did note that the insurance on the vehicle had also expired on the night before. I bid him farewell and got to work. The nearest tire shop is four blocks away and to I pedaled through the ice and snow. On arrival, the deskman informed me that he could not help until wednesday and that another shop five blocks deeper into the city may be able to help. Again I would share the road with automobiles on snow covered death lanes. The bicycle would skid and slide beneath me as the topography of the surface of the snow changed with traffic patterns. Frequently my back wheel would break free when peddling from a stop. Turning would happen at walking pace and every hill frightened me. Passing vehicles would from a distance of perhaps three feet spray me with the dirty snow saturated by the warm weather the noon-sun brought. On arrival at the second tire shop then desk man greeted me once again. Not after long was I aware that the desk man would be sending away without what I came for, but just as the last would send me further. To the otherside of the city I traveled. Unlike the first two chain tire shops I browsed, the third was a "mom and pop." On arrival, I stood my bicycle up next to another bicycle that was already there. One of the service men was enjoying a cigarette outside and complimented my wheels when it became clear that he was the owner of the other bicycle. That he also endured the condition I did today on the open road. I knew I was in good company. The smoking man, xander, was his name, heard my story of the theft and directed me to go inside and talk to Tony. This Tony would make everything right. As soon as I was through the door a giant of a man stood before me. Dark skinned with black hair he appeared eastern in lineage. Jovially, he emitted a huge smile and asked what he could do for me. I explained my case and asked if he was Tony. Before the giant could answer an older man emerged quickly from a nearby office having overheard my tale. "THIEVES!!! The police are good for nothing! If I ran this country I would give them the whip!" the old man exclaimed. Not sure if he meant the police of theives, I didn't press for an answer because I agreed to an extent on both counts. The old man introduced himself as the owner of the shop and his employee, the giant, was tony. Tony quickly manuevered behind the counter to check if he had what I needed in stock. Although he did not have the rims in stock, the tires were available. Another person, either friend, employee, or loiterer, I could not discern suggested that Canadian Tire may have the rims in stock. And that Tony may give them a call to find out. Tony agreed this was a great idea and phoned to find out that rims were in stock at Canadian Tire. Upon learning this, I was both lightened because both pieces to my solution had been discovered but also burdened as Canadian Tire is a five mile ride on the highway uphill the whole way. On a good day, I might make a trip like this but today this seemed impossible. Upon a brief sigh, Pop chimed in to offer me a ride up to CT. Together we rode to get the rims. We talked about a lot of things for such a short trip. Mostly I would boil it down as an argument for corporal punishment with a dash of "90% of the people alive today are whimps." It felt good to hear a person speak so honestly even though I didn't always agree with his point of view. Pop was an honest person and geniune albeit harsh. He has man admirable qualities as well as many other features. On our return, Pop had his team mount the tires on the new rims. While the work was being done, he offered me coffee and more conversation. Again, I enjoyed listening to his adventures through the years, even his recent battle with cancer. When the work was done Pop drove one of his teammembers and myself to my home to install the wheels. As I discovered, this techinician was also an avid cyclist. Still in good company we chatted and laughed as we worked together to install the wheels. I drove the technician (Justin) and his tools back to the shop and made business with Tony at the counter. I typically enjoy Saturdays, but this one in particular had a good chance of going poorly. Instead, I met a group of friendly, warm, people and had a hell of a bicycle ride.