Tube

– It is sobering when you come to realise that some careers are not for you.
– Indeed. But I would have thought that this must be quite a common occurrence.
– You mean I'm unsuited to a wide range of careers?
– We all have our unique skills. Which usually means we're useless at everything else. So what is today's failure?
– Repairing the bicycle. In fact, not even a proper repair, but just changing tyres and inner tubes.
– I suppose it is a fiddly business.
– You would have thought they would be able to design a bicycle tyre that doesn't take hours to remove and put back on again.
– I think they've invented that already. People who know about these things can probably do it in a couple of minutes.
– Whereas it takes me all evening, struggling to get everything back together again without puncturing the new inner tube. And as for the back wheel, with the chain wrapping itself around you, it's just a nightmare.
– Did you particularly want a career as a bicycle mechanic? Think of all the oil and grease. And the little nuts and bolts and valve caps which go missing the moment you put them down. And the faff of having to repair punctures. It's a hard life.
– You've persuaded me.
– Did you need much persuading?
– No. Not much.