Another Flat Tire

I was riding my bicycle to KAPE for a meeting. On the way I noticed the bicycle was quite hard to peddle. Another flat.

I stopped at a motorcycle repair shop, and the man put air in the tire. He sent me on my way. I knew it would not hold air but I could not explain that, so I went on. A few meters further along, the tire was flat again, just as I had anticipated. I walked the bicycle for some distance. As I passed a small shop, and a woman motioned me in. She turned out to be an expert.

She took the tube out of the tire without removing the wheel from the bicycle. She put air in the tube and submerged the tire in a pan of water. When she found a hole, she inserted a small stick to mark its place and continued to look for other holes.

When she had checked the complete tube she started to patch the holes she'd found. First, she dried the tube with an old dirty rag, then roughed the tube surface with a hacksaw blade. After she was satisfied it was ready she took spread glue on the surface. Then she lit it and let it burn for a moment and blew out the flame. She applied the patch and beat it onto the inner tube with a heavy metal rod.

When she was satisfied the patch was secure she put the inner tube back in the tire and put the tire on the rim. Then some air and the bicycle was ready to ride.

My bicycle expert charged me 1,000 real ($0.25). I gave her 1,200 and I overheard her telling someone that I had given her more than she asked.

I hopped on my bike and rode off to KAPE.