Eddie..where's the tires?

Today was the 'interview' day. More about that later. This is the car that has been fondly and 'unfondly' called the Cav by my son. He bought it in college and has sold it to me [thank you son for extending me credit on this!]
We have replaced the rocker gasket...that's the blue rubber thingy. Power washed the engine ... it doesn't leak oil...we have done
brakes
struts
plugs
plug wires
air filter
oil filter
fuel filter
tranny filter
...and some things I've forgotten.
Today it got its NEW tires. 4 new tires all the way around. I went to the interview in a loaner while they worked on it.
After the interview I was waiting for them to finish up in the air conditioned office when a man who wore a Tire Shop uniform with the name Eddie sewn on it walked in mumbling something and wandered around. The receptionist said, 'Hey Eddie need a drink of water?' Eddie mumbled something back and wandered back out into the shop.
I could see that Eddie was not just a common man. Tall lanky, with a lurching walk, stuttered speech, malformed face, a grin with some bad teeth showing below his pure blue sparkling eyes.
The receptionist said...'That's Eddie, when the boss bought the shop 25 years ago Eddie came with it. He is our *Eddie* if you know what I mean.'
Eddie returned later and spoke haltingly with another shop worker. He said
'Tires? We have those!' He proceeded to walk downstairs and return with the requested brand, make, and model. The receptionist smiled kindly and said...'No matter what, you ask Eddie --- what we have in stock... he KNOWS. I don't have to consult the computer, he is never wrong.'
I smiled inside, I'd just interviewed to work for a corporation that contracts its employees out to the county Human Health Services for people just like Eddie. And I thought out loud to the receptionist what advantages there were to a small town...Eddie would never have been tolerated in a large chain store. Yet there he was lurching and mumbling, his eyes sparkling, and always a smile and an answer as to ...
*Hey Eddie, where's the tires?*


PS...I have my brand new tires! Tomorrow we get the engine analyzed! The Cav is very much the road 'warrior' again.