flat tire

ok, so......how could i have safely driven 1500 miles over the weekend...only to have a flat tire on the way to work on monday morning.....?.....i had stopped for the danville school bus at a tight intersection on my secret backway to bate....and when the busdriver waved me to go first, we bounced out of a pothole before we could drive on.....and about the time we reached the light on lexington avenue.....we could here the telltale ka-rumphkarumph of the right rear bouncing up and down off of a flat......luckily the tire store we frequent is just down the hill from the middle school, and the fellows were in pit-crew mode...they had the car up on the stand, tire off, ruination of said tire confirmed, discover that there was no replacement in stock, spare tire (the diminutive version from the trunk) installed, and an appointment made for the now on-order tire to be installed the next day......all between 7:35 and 7:50am......i was only 7 minutes late to work......there was the obligatory call to the spouse explaining that the car was in the pothole 'allthesudden'.....i can see the replacement tire under the tree in my mind's eye.....merry chrismas, mm.........