Last Thursday after work, I decided to drive by the Guam tax and revenue building to see where it is. Soon, I thought, I will need to register my new Cadillac and obtain a Guam drivers license.
Getting directions on Guam is difficult because about half the streets and roads lack signs. Oral directions involve buildings and landmarks rather than street names. For instance, "Do you know where the Burger King is Dededo? OK, drive past the Burger King then take a left at the tire swing, drive down the road until you see a big pack of dogs then take a right when you see an old refrigerator..." Needless to say, finding things can be challenging.
As Gov Guam is the epitome of a dysfunctional inefficient bureaucracy, it was highly recommended that I get to the Guam tax building at 7am to get my paperwork done before the place closed. So I took the time to drive up there after work. Traffic was the worst I have seen on Guam. It was a bumper to bumper crawl. Eventually I passed the tax building, duly noting its location, and continued on the sluggish ride home. After over an hour of traffic, I got home just in time to watch my left front tire go flat.
I checked the trunk and of course there was no tire jack. At least there was a tiny spare. Annoyed and with little patience, I removed the hub cap. I was shocked to discover that the hubcap was partially melted. The wheel was red-hot. After waiting several hours for it to cool, my roommate and I removed the wheel and put on the spare. It was clear the wheel was not spinning freely and as a consequence friction was super heating the wheel as it turned.
The next morning I went to a nearby mechanic for diagnosis. To my horror, they gave me a shopping list of repairs needed - basically an entirely new brake system for $1100. But they did repair my tire and put it back on. So now I am driving a coworker's car while she is off island. Thankfully, she offered use of the car if I needed it. But after she returns on May 5, I will have to find something else...
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