"There is only like', one problem..."
Watching the edge of the pipe... It just kept coming as Shaggy made his way out of the garage. It wasn't the full length of a pole vault, but it really made you think of one as the pipe wobbled in its magnitude out of the doorway. Fred rushed to grab it from Shaggy as he started to get to the edge of the clutter which was easier to tumble out of. Offering a hand to be a brace, as the other grabbed the hollow tube from Shaggy. Hefting the long piece of metal in his hand, and trying to ignore the bite of the cold as he grasped it.
"This was the only one you could find?" Fred wasn't sure where Shaggy had pulled this out of, or even what this had been for originally. But it might have been easier to work with something that was shorter and less unwieldy than this twelve foot long pipe. As it looked roughly twice Fred's height.
"Sorry, that was the only thing I was able to find that was metal and would fit over the socket wrench handle to make it longer. I found some PVC pipes in there, but nothing was less breakable except like' that." Shaggy had really searched, but without taking the whole garage apart, it was the best they were probably going to find right then.
"Well, we will have to make due. Though man, I could use this in a jousting match." Fred had done that before on the back of a motorcycle, but he preferred to use the real thing over a make shift attempt in his experience. That, and he would rather not think about how dumb he was around that time. Not his proudest moments from his youth, especially how he treated the gang and how cocky he had gotten. Thankfully like the man he was helping down, the rest of the gang forgave him for being undeniably stupid. Plus it wasn't their best times either. But they had grown up, and moved past it together! Being in a much better place now, and even closer then before.
"Hm, you ok Fred?"
"Never better. Here we go!"
Tugging slightly as Shaggy made the last jump out, he helped soften the landing so they didn't slide in the snow and fall over. Once he made sure Shaggy had secure footing, Fred let go and focused on the slightly unwieldy pole. Bringing up a second hand to slide the pipe free from under the garage opening. Clearing it from the door, and comparing it to the van itself. Which was a bit longer then fourteen to fifteen feet. Fred hadn't checked in a while and they had owned several Mystery Machines that he wasn't able to recall which set of car dimensions was this specific van at the moment. Normally he was better, but the snow and cold was making his brain slow down. But the metals length was shorter than the van, so he guessed it was around twelve feet long.
"I guess we just have to get this on here, and then walk it up... Here, hold the pipe and I'll try to get the end on the socket wrench-though nah. Wait a minute... Give me a sec."
Waiting till Shaggy took the pole back, Fred moved to get something else. He was worried that the socket wrench might slip as they work with the comically long tube. So, it would be easier to use the tire iron they had instead. And he had seen it as they were searching for something to extend the tool earlier, and should fit the lug nut properly as it belonged to this van. Coming with it, as well as the jack as gear that was default for the van.
Removing the wrench and replacing it with the x-shaped metal bars that made up the tire iron. Fred then waving Shaggy to move closer, was able to grab the end and between them slide the pole over one of the less wide ends of the tool. And once the tube was slid to the hilt, Fred got up from his wet knee'ed crouch to stand with Shaggy.
"Alright, so it is on now. I guess lets slowly lift the pole over our heads. I don't want to shift the tire out of place and rock the van on the jack since we only have it on one. Really wish I could get the stablers down. But oh well... We don't need to move fast to get this done, easy does it now. 1... 2... 3... Lift."
Following Fred's lead, the two men slowly inched the metal higher. Walking towards the tire and moving hand over hand to work on raising the pipe above their head for the leverage. It went up slowly, till there was resistance as the lug nut was really on there. Walking back, they added more distance to then try adding more leverage at the twist to try to muscle the persistent joint into budging. Though also not trying to break anything as well, having to pay attention to the feedback from the slowly warming up... or sapping the heat from his hands, grip.
"Oh, shoot Fred! What like' happened to your gloves?"
As their raised the pole into eye level, Shaggy was able to notice that the man was without them. Feeling Shaggy back off from the pressure, Fred jumped to stop him.
"Thanks Shag, but we are already in the middle of this, the sooner we get this done, the sooner I can get inside and warm up my hands. We can't stop now to get me some, or heaven forbid, you do what you were going to do and give up your own gloves to give to me." Fred had to move quickly before Shaggy stopped the tension and act like what he knew the man would easily do. Giving up his own gloves to then make his own hands cold in exchange. But Fred had already been cold this long, it would be silly to freeze Shaggy's hands over his own at this point.
"Better for one of us to have warm hands. Then just swap which one of us was cold." Fred reasoned, trying to make sure Shaggy didn't go ahead and try to help him anyway. Which seemed to stop the generous man before he was able to get his gloves off.
"... Ok, then let's get this done quickly."
"Again on three then. Lets slowly lift this and see if the lug nut will give! 1... 2... 3, lift!"
Keeping the tarp in mind, the two men worked in tandem to raise up the bar in increments. Not wanting to over do it with the pressure and break something. Making sure to not bounce the pole either, to add extra stress on it. Slow and even pressure to get the stubborn piece of hardware off. Though they were slowly having to inch forward along the pipe, to try to make it budge. After some tense moments and all the slow scooching up the length towards the tire iron, finally the lug nut's resistance let up. Earning a whoop of victory as their makeshift plan actually worked. Between Velma's previous lessons on leverage and the use of a fulcrum, to Shaggy's recollection of said lesson. And then Fred's application and understanding what Shaggy had said in the first place.
Backing off the tube, Fred had Shaggy pull it off the tire iron to let him rotate the tool to get the nut the rest of the way off. Working it in circles till it was free, putting it with the others that hadn't give them as much trouble. Before setting it back up to work on the last lug nut to get undone.
"Alright, great job! One more time! Bring that over again and..." Waving for Shaggy to slide the pipe back into position, Fred guided it back on and moved back to where they had started before. Echoing the same steps in slow but practiced movements to get the last one off as well. Fighting a bit more then the last one, it still gave up the ghost with the dogged pressure the two men put on the small threaded piece to finally convince it to let go.
"YES! Finally! Now to check how bad this is."
Eagerly putting his knees into the wet cardboard, Fred was more interested in getting the last lug nut finally off to look at the wheel parts without the rim on it. Almost tossing the tire iron at Shaggy, and letting him handle the long length of metal while he took in the damage.
Heaving the old tire and bent rim out of the way, Fred leaned in close to take stock of the alignment of where they nuts attached the tire into place. Looking at the easier bolts to then see if the other ones that had proven more difficult were out of place or damaged. But as Fred struggled to notice which had been the troublesome ones... It seemed that only the rim was indeed the problem. Looking over at the mangled rim now that it had been off the wheel and lay beside him in the snow for him to get a good look at. Putting in a finger to see that the holes that the bolts had been slotted through, were slightly mangled and probably the main reasons why the lug nuts had give them such issues.
"Wow, I can't believe we were able to drive on that without breaking anything. It's really bent! Darn Mystery Monster damaging the old girl! "
"Uh Fred, it's not the only thing that is bent."
Unsure what Shaggy meant, Fred looked over at the lanky man. It seemed he had placed the pole against the side of the garage, and was holding the tire iron between both hands. It seemed fine, until Shaggy twisted the tool to face Fred in another angle. Letting the blond see that the tire iron had felt the pressure of the twelve feet of power the two men had applied to the lug nuts, and had lightly twisted its shape. Running his hands along one side, Shaggy showed that one side was perfectly straight still. Rotating it in his finger tips and the circle it made being even like it should be. But then passing the x-shape between his grip to the other direction, the spin wobbled. The metal on the one side where the pipe had been, had a curve before the joint of the x met. Distorted metal, showing off just how much power leverage could have on the stainless steel.
"... That, is really impressive. I think Velma will get a kick out of seeing that later when we tell the story!"
"You think we should bring it inside once we are done, to help like' show what happened?"
"Maybe, she would probably believe us better if she can hold it in her hands. We juts need to make sure we remember to bring it back into the Van later."
"Heh, yeah. Ok, I'll put the pipe away and get you another tire, yeah?"
"Oh, thanks Shag, that would be great. Let me check the lug nut threading while you do that. Maybe just lay the pole kinda into the garage for now. Don't need to dive back in to put it back where you found it."
"Sounds like a Plan I can get behind. I wanna get in and maybe make some nice warm cider. And the sooner we can get inside, the sooner we can warm up your hands!"
"I kinda have gotten used to it, which is probably not the best, so that is a good idea. And hot cider sounds amazing right now! Let's go with that!"
"R'ider?!" Appearing out of no where, Scooby popped up his head around the van from behind Fred. But not at all surprised that the Dane decided to come over when food was mentioned. Or well, hot yummy drink at least. Making Fred chuckle, since he expected nothing less from the bottomless well that was the dogs stomach.
"Heya Scoob, come and help us and we'll be able to get the Cider faster, ok?"
"Rah rah rah!" Scooby panted his head up and down eagerly, tongue rolled out of one side as he answered. "R'ok! R'hat do R'I need rah roo?"
"Well, you can help me with this..."
As Shaggy rolled the tire over to where Fred was, the trio quickly got to work. With promise of a warm drink, and knowing Shaggy probably snacks... They worked as fast as it was to do it properly. Putting the tire on, lug nuts in place, and giving it a spin before finally putting the van back down to earth. Then they had to clean up, making sure to return everything to its home but the tire iron back to the van. As well as packing back Fred's tools to the garage.
"That tarp was amazing, and the cardboard made it less wet. Thanks you guys. This went a lot better then I would have done on my own."
"Don't mention it Fred. Glad to help as always." Shaggy said with a nod, folding the cardboard into a smaller size to toss away. It had been soaked and was unable to be used again, ending up with the recycle pile to wait for the right day to go out with the rest of them.
"Reddy Reddy! R'ook r'hat I r'ound!" Barking for Fred's attention, The Dane was bouncing with an energy the tired blond envied. Since now that they had finally finished, the weariness was setting in as well as the stiffness of his joints from the cold. Rubbing his hands together to use friction to warm them up, as well as blowing into the digits to try to get some circulation going.
"Oh! You found my gloves!" Taking the soaked gloves from the mouth of Scooby, he didn't want to put them on. But at least it wouldn't take till spring to find them again. But Fred would have to leave them hanging somewhere to dry.
"Awesome Scoob! Great going!" Shaggy moved up to praise the dog and give him added scratches behind the ears where he liked it.
"Are we all cleaned up Shag?"
"Yep! Cardboard is recycled, tarp is put away, pipe is in the garage with your tools. And everything is put back in the van where it should be, and closed up. Except the tire iron here. Anything else?"
"No, that sounds about right! Lets get inside and get warm! I'll take you up on that cider and hashbrowns offer, if it still stands."
"Rah rah! R'ider r'and Rashrounds!"
"Freddie, Freddie, Freddie... When have you like' known me to back out on a promise of food? One..." Pausing a second, Shaggy thought it over. Stroking his goatee a few times before replying. The tire iron tucked under one armpit to bring inside to show off later to Velma once they told their story. "More then one order of hash-browns and cider, coming up!"
Making Fred laugh, since between them all and how cold it had been. And all the physical work they did between them all. One order, wouldn't be enough. Even for him, he was starving from the effort. Plus it was almost time for lunch anyway. Shaggy made the right call.
"I'll leave it to you. Warm home awaits! Onward!"