Another Slice, Please

 

I have been meaning to document my most recent humbling moment for awhile now.  It happened about two weeks ago when Jim & I were dis-assembling the front end.  

To get at the bolts securing the front fenders, we had to remove the tires.  Obviously, taking lug nuts off a wheel is a pretty straight forward proposition...once you realize the bolts are reverse threaded.  Unfortunately, this realization is not the slice of humble pie I had to eat that day (that mistake can happen to anyone).  Nooo sir...my slice was served up when it came time to put the tires back on.

Jim took one wheel and I took the other.  Of course, Jim finished well before me.  He came over to my side to check my progress (for the record, I was only one lug nut away from being finished).  It was at that moment I suspect Jim first realized what a moron I am:

See my mistake?  Apparently, lug nuts have a tapered end and are supposed to be threaded with the tapered end facing toward the wheel (not outward as I so brilliantly assumed).  Here's a closer look at my genius move:

Talk about a FAIL...I may as well have been wearing a shirt and matching hat that read "I have never changed a tire before and have always called AAA when I get a flat."

When I realized my bone-head mistake, a voice in my head [insert thick Bostonian accent here] said "Way-to-go, Doc...all dat schoolin' really paid off--you is wicked smaart."

He could have crucified me...but Jim was super cool.  He simply pointed out the correct orientation, explained the rationale and then helped me re-do all the work I had already done.  Needless to say, I was embarrassed...but at the same time knew this was a "learning moment" I would not soon forget.  Why is it that our mistakes are so indelible?  Perhaps it is because they often come at the expense of our pride...a fair trade off in my book.