A Car Called Hubris

Last night we got a flat tire. Simple. Straightforward. A quick and sudden flat tire. We were driving on an easy road at a time that wasn't too busy, so this was a danger free chance to get in touch with my manhood. Beside me, Donna was no longer simply my wife, she was in my eyes a damsel in distress. Time to get my hands dirty.
Well I got down on my hands and knees beside my wounded steed, jack in hand, and searched out the best place to begin the lift. "Why don't we just call BCAA?" "Beside not having a membership, well this isn't that difficult," I replied, still eager to prove my worth. I reached under the vehicle, placing the jack under the frame, and began cranking it up. And up. And up. And still no real movement. I mean the rim was still firmly planted on the ground. Down went the jack. Shuffled it over. And up, up, and nothing.
My wife, now in anyone's eyes a damsel in distress, spotted an acquaintance of ours. Someone more inclined to cars than I am. Of course, truth be told that applies to most men. We called him over for his input. I take solace in saying that he wasn't helpful. Or at least not in a tangible get the wheel off the ground so we can pop on the full spare kind of way. No, he did nothing to prevent me from sulking away, tail between my legs, defeated. What he did do was help me come to admit my defeat sooner and thereby limiting my pathetic struggle.
If the question were asked, 'Why did you buy an SUV?' Well the answer is pretty easy. My wife is a traveling sales rep. She drives throughout the province carrying a lot of samples, so we need the room. If the question is why we bought an SUV instead of a minivan. Well the answer has to be pride. We don't want to be that kind of couple. You know - sensible. We want to be rough and tumble. Ready for anything. When truth be told, we are pretty sensible. (Bought the Jeep second hand for a great price.) And we're clearly not very rugged. And the sin of pride will get you every time.
Last night it caught me in the rain, when our friend pointed something out to me that should have been obvious. The jack I was holding didn't belong to my giant SUV, but rather to a little tiny Honda.