Valve

Wow.  That was more of a drama than I anticipated.  We are not really push bike people.  Well we are, but we aren’t.
Merril and I have a trike each.  They are really handy for going for rides, and getting the groceries.  I say are, but I should say “would be.”  Whatever word I use it means neglect.  Our trikes have sat waiting for us to need them again.  We do now.   For our holidays.  There are six tyres.  Five were good.  It was the last one we did, that was leaking from the valve. 
It needed a new valve.  I know I have one in the little shed.  But it’s dark.  A torch solves that.  I open the door of the little shed and a big spider the type of which is unknown to me, greets me at the door.  What I wanted was on the other side of him.  I changed my mind.
Super Cheap is open, so we will get what we need from there.  They have four valves and the tool we need.  We purchase that.  It is too late at night to work on it, so it can wait till the following morning.
The following morning arrives and I try to look like I know what I am doing, but don’t have a clue.  How do I get the valve out?  With this tool.  Trouble is, I cannot get the tool apart (it is four tools in one).  I try a couple of sets of plyers to no avail. It occurs to me I only need the end bit to grab and undo the valve.  I try it and it works, as long as I bend the thing to avoid the spokes.
I get the valve out.  It looks different to anything we have.  The top part looks the same, so I try to remove the bottom so I can put what we have on it.  Totally unsuccessful. 
Today is my doing stuff day.  I check out K Mart and Woolies.  They cannot help (I have taken it with me, so they know what I am after.)  I go to my bro’s for a coffee and a think and a plan.
He has an appointment, so I offer to drop him off and visit the bike shop.  I know where one is, as we visited it when looking for trikes, and I have looked them up on line.  I drop him off and visit the bike shop.  Well I visit where they were.  They have moved.  They had only been there years, but my visit reveals they have moved very very recently.  I ring them.  They tell me where they are now.  I visit them.  Cept there are two signs.  One point in the opposite direction of what he told me.  I decide I have it wrong but while at lights I see their sign.  I recognise it and go in.
I show the attendant what I have.  “Oh” he says, “that is the old way.  This is what is used now.”  It is what we had all along.  I go to buy a valve off him using my card (I already had four, but for his trouble I wanted him to make something) but as the purchase is so small only cash will do.  I have no cash.  No sale.  I mention the confusing signs to the attendant.  He knows, but says he cannot do anything about the one that is wrong, as it is on someone else’s land.
I come home.  I try what he said and it is all good, using what we had.  I may never need the shop again, but I know where they will be at least until my next visit.
Merril just rang me to say our card is missing.  I think it is time I made like an Ostrich and buried my head in the sand, and then maybe it is not happening.