Kunnia-asioista
On matters of honour
Karautin Nissanilla kotipihasta muutaman sadan metrin pyräyksen postitoimistolle. Matkalla alkoi kuulua kummaa kolinaa, ja postitoimiston pihassa syyksi paljastui tyhjä rengas. Naula, taas. Olen alkanut epäillä, että naapuruston pikkupojat sijoittelevat metalliesineitä peruutuspaikalle.
Renkaanvaihto-opit olivat tuoreessa muistissa, parkkipaikka tasainen ja autosta löytyivät kaikki tarvikkeet, jopa kiilat ja hansikkaat. Julkinen tapahtumapaikka ärsytti silti. Postitoimiston pihassa käy ennen laatikon tyhjennystä melkoinen trafiikki, ja vastapäätä sijaitsee kylän tietotoimisto eli kyläkauppa.
Vettä tihuutti vähän, pörrökaulaliina ja talvitakin karvareunukset olivat tiellä ja muutenkin tilanteeseen sopimattomat. Olin myös epämukavasti tietoinen siitä, miltä nykymalliset farkut näyttävät takaa päin pyöreän naisihmisen kyykistellessä renkaanvaihtopuuhissa.
Olin saanut tunkin paikoilleen, kun varttunut isäntä kysyi lava-autostaan, tarvittiinko apua. Kiitin kauniisti ja sanoin, ettei tällä kertaa tarvita. "Eikö varmasti?" Ihan varmasti, kiitos kuitenkin. Isäntä peruutti pois vähän vastahakoisen oloisesti.
Olin irrottamassa tyhjän renkaan ensimmäistä pulttia, kun viereen kurvasi seuraava lava-auto. "Tarvitaanko apua?" Kaksi nuorta miestä oli jo ulkona autosta ja tarttumassa työkaluihin, joten tein mieliksi. Olkoon nyt, mukavuudenhaluiselle ihmiselle apu kelpaa aina, ja sitä paitsi minusta oli tulossa iltapäivän ohjelmanumero.
"Eikö se tässä ollut mies todellakaan tarjoutunut auttamaan?" päivitteli toinen miehistä. Minulla alkoi valjeta, että kysymys oli miehisistä kunnia-asioista ja edellisen avuntarjoajan maine kylillä oli vaarantunut pahanpäiväisesti. Kiirehdin korjaamaan väärinkäsitystä ennen kuin sana leviäisi laajemmalle. Kuinkahan moni muu oli jo mielessään moittinut ensimmäisen isännän tapoja.
Muistiin merkittävää: ei saa heittäytyä liian itsenäiseksi silloin kun miehinen kunnia on kysymyksessä.
***
I was trying to change a tyre in the car park at the post office today at 2:30pm. There is a lot of traffic at the post office at 2:30pm - the mail leaves Robertson around 3 pm on business days.
I knew what to do, sort of, having changed a tyre six months ago all by myself, for the first time in my life. I had all the equipment, including a pair of gloves. I also had a long, fluffy, burgundy winter scarf and fake fur around the wrists and neck of my winter coat. I felt absolutely ridiculous and was aware that today's jeans look ghastly, seen from behind, when changing a tyre in the car park at the post office at 2:30pm.
The post office is opposite the supermarket, which is in the middle of the village, on the main road.
I had the jack in place and was busy winding, when an elderly man from a ute window kindly offered to help. "Thanks but I'll be fine, really I will." "Are you sure?" Quite sure, but thank you very much anyway.
I was trying to unbolt the first bolt, which seemed a bit tight, when the second ute (=pick-up) stopped and two young men got out, eager to help. I realised how silly it was to insist on doing it all on my own, in my fluffy scarf and fake fur around my wrists, so I said yes.
The job was completed in 60 seconds. "Did the other guy really drive away without offering to help?" my helpers wanted to know.
I realised only then that I had seriously endangered the first man's reputation in the village, and promptly hastened to put things right. I could not help wondering how many other people had come to the same, wrong conclusion.
Note to self: don't try to be independent when a man's honour is at stake.
Comments - Kommentit
Oh, Dear, Anni. It is not as socially difficult as you make out.
Blokes feel good offering to help, with something which they can fix. Without labouring the point, there are so many thing which Blokes stuff up, that it is nice to let them do something useful.
Besides, you weren't really dressed for changing a tyre, were you?
It is interesting that they were so "judgemental" about the guy who drove away. I'm glad you did protect his reputation.
And, I'm glad that you did get the tyre changed.
Seriously, many people forget to chock the "downhill" tyre on the other side of the car, and the car can roll off the jack and that can be very dangerous. So, it is not just a question of having the jack and the spanner. You usually need to look for a rock as well.
Cheers
Denis
Posted by: Denis Wilson | May 24, 2006 08:33 PM
A different question is that 'few hundred meters' that you drove instead of walking... ;-D But of course that depends also on how heavy delivery are you expecting! (so, just teasing ;-)
Posted by: Timo | May 24, 2006 09:35 PM
Decades ago an elderly friend told me, when we were driving and had a car problem: Never mind dear. A nice man always comes along. And guess what - a nice man always has. In once instance two - from the north and south and they sorted out between them who would look after me.
Posted by: Miss Eagle | May 24, 2006 10:07 PM
Denis, I did have a little something to chock the diagonally opposite tyre with. And no, I didn't think it was socially as difficult as that - but I had a story to write, didn't I? (You have no idea what I wrote in the Finnish version...)
Timo, I was also on my way to a town 30 kms away!
Miss Eagle, changing a tyre is all I can do. Thank God for the NRMA and for the nice men.
Posted by: Anni | May 24, 2006 10:37 PM
Tuli mieleeni.
Äiti vainaa kävi pohjoisessa ampumakilpailuissa kuusitoistavuotiaana voittamassa paikkakunnan miehet.
Seuraavana vuonna äiti meni paikalle, mutta sinne oli perustettu naisten sarja, eikä naiset voineet ampua miestensarjassa.
Naisten sarjassa ei ollut ketään osanottajia vielä ilmoittautuneena kun äitini tuli paikalle.
Äiti oli katsonut järjestäjiä hetken aikaa ja sanonut "No en minä näitten ämmien kanssa viitsiskään..." Meni veljensä autolle ja ajoivat pois.
Posted by: Petja Jäppinen | May 24, 2006 11:16 PM
Ah, well, I understand we all "have a story to write".
Glad you had a chock under the opposite tyre. I never really doubted you (this is my part of the story, OK?).
And I really have no idea, ever, what you write in the Finnish part of your blog! Probably terribly libellous things about we Aussies.
Cheers
Denis
Posted by: Denis Wilson | May 25, 2006 12:40 AM
Ne olivat perustaneet sen naisten sarjan ihan sitä varten, että äitisi oli mennyt voittamaan edellisenä vuonna, Petja.
Finnish language is relatively safe that way, not very many Australians speak it. But no, while the two stories are often a bit different, both are usually pretty tame. If I had an anonymous blog... well, things would obviously be very different.
Posted by: Anni | May 25, 2006 09:49 AM
Thank heavens for non-anonymous blogs, then!
A girl from one of my classes once described how she was at home by herself one day and was trying to open a jar of salsa. (Honestly, what is it about salsa bottles that makes them so very difficult to open?) She had soaked it in hot water, hit the side of the lid with a hammer, wrenched at it with a teatowel, even - I think, and this is normally a vey effective method - jammed a knife between the jar and the lid in an effort to break the seal, all to no avail. In the end, she took her jar outside and wandered the streets until she found a nice young man to help her... She felt pretty pathetic about it, but apparently made his day - there aren't all that many Ladies in Distress about these days roaming the suburbs looking for help!
Posted by: Angharad | May 25, 2006 02:27 PM
I find wearing a pair of leather gloves almost always does the trick.
Posted by: Anni | May 25, 2006 03:35 PM
(With 'the trick' I meant opening the salsa bottle.)
Posted by: Anni | May 25, 2006 05:36 PM
Sorry for unnecessary comment, should have known there's more behind it...
But that salsa-conversation was a good one! :-)
Posted by: Timo | May 25, 2006 06:34 PM
Niinpä. Ja tästä syystä äitini niitä piti ämminä.
Posted by: Petja Jäppinen | May 25, 2006 07:03 PM
I know Timo - Angharad, you should establish a blog. It would become more popular than New York Times, at least in our household. (Maybe you have an anonymous one somewhere...?)
Posted by: Anni | May 25, 2006 09:01 PM
I agree, Anni, that Angharad should have her own blog, then you can add your own enlightening comments, such as about the leather gloves.
Ah, you said it the other day - we all have a story to tell.
Denis
Posted by: Denis Wilson | May 26, 2006 12:54 AM