First-World Problems and The Tim Solution

"Oh, boy."
"Oh, boy, what?"
"You're f*cked."

It's possible we didn't think it all the way through.

At the time, though, we had no reason to believe the simple, mundane act of BUYING A LAWNMOWER would come back to bite us.

But...here we are.

Here we are, that is, with an acre of fast-growing lawn AND a lawnmower with a bad wheel. A wheel that is apparently impossible to replace.

We bought the thing at Home Depot in Hilo, so of course that's the first place we tried. Guess what, though? You can't buy the part at Home Depot in Hilo! Nor can you buy it at Home Depot Online, because the part is "Unavailable in Hawai'i".

Okay, I'll try the manufacturer of said wheel. THEY DON'T SHIP TO HAWAI'I.

Okay, I'll try Amazon...where the part is unavailable and there's no timeline for when it WILL be available.

Okay, I'll try the manufacturer's dealer on the Big Island. THEY DON'T HAVE THE PART...but they're happy to order it! "It'll cost about $300 for shipping."

Okay, now I'm cranky.

I realize we live in a remote part of the US, but Hawai'i IS part of the US, last time I checked. We do have Post Offices and FedEx and Amazon lockers and an assortment of big box retailers. One of those retailers sells semi-expensive lawnmowers for which IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO GET REPLACEMENT PARTS??

I don't know whether to laugh or shriek into a tropical storm.

***

First world problem, I know.

What makes it galling, though, is this:

"Oh, and don't forget to check the oil."

If Tim Walz were available, HE would jump on a plane with the wheel assembly in his carry-on. He would rent a car at the airport, drive to our house, jack the left-front wheel, replace it with the new wheel assembly, check the air pressure in the other tires, smile, and say, "Okay, champ, it's ready to go. You've got this."

Tim Walz, however, is busy helping save American Democracy.

Still, knowing he would help if he could makes me want to keep trying.

Thanks, Tim, and you're right:

I've got this.