Word of the Day: Bagatelle

bagatelle \bag-uh-TEL\, noun:
1. A trifle; a thing of little or no importance.
2. A short, light literary piece.

I was on my way to pick up Kim and Timoni for a night out at 9:12pm when a frantic Lindsey called in a panic that their cab had not arrived and she was about to be late to her own sister's surprise party. Rushing to the rescue, I screached up to Kim's building, and she, Lindsey, Chris and a small bushel of helium balloons piled into my very compact sports car.

We're going to have to come back for Timoni, there's no where for her to fit. I buzzed off toward the bar. Halfway there something seemed slightly off balance. What's that noise? I don't think I've ever had this much weight in my car. Something's not right. But there's no way we're stopping! Lindsey is practically in tears. We whiz past Timoni's, pull up outside like a chariot, everyone piles out. And then the bad news. "You've got a flat," Chris says.

Me to Timoni on cell: I can't come get you. I have a flat.
Timoni: No problem, I'll run 20 blocks in my tall boots in the 30 degree weather and I'll be there in 10 minutes. If you need help with the tire, I had four flats in a year with my last car."

This is one of those times when a boyfriend comes in handy. But seeing that I don't have one, I'd have to borrow Chris. Now Chris is not a small guy. There are rumors that he can bench three of me. But we still pulled, pried, pushed, yanked, sweared at and cursed the five tiny lugnuts that held onto that tire like a mother.



An hour later, fingers and toes sufficiently numb, I admitted defeat and called Roadside Assistance. Then we tried one last time. Of course, now the lugnuts are popping off right and left. But still we can't we get the last lugnut off the damn car. We must have looked desperate because a stranger approached and asked if we'd tried stomping on it. Well actually...no. Will that work? Two seconds later the lugnut was off.

Me to Timoni: I thought we'd never get the lugnuts off.
Timoni: Did you try stomping on it?
Me: Where were you and this brilliant idea an hour ago?