What's a guy supposed to do?

This morning while riding into work, I was focusing pretty hard on keeping up a good pace. Coming through the flats in Del Mar, at the the last minute I noticed a young woman fixing a flat and slowed down a little (not wanting to break my pace too much) to see if she was OK. She needed a pump, so I stopped, and gave her mine. I actually felt kind of rude because I really had passed her by.

So, I gave her my pump but didn't want to be the imposing "You don't know what you're doing, let me do that for you" kind of guy. I mean this woman was fit, had quality gear (way better than my low end bike), and looked like she'd been riding a lot. Surely she'd changed tires before, and me jumping in there would just seem to be a slap in the face to an independent young woman, I was sure.

Anyway, I drank some water and tried not to look on, to avoid looking like I was overseeing her work. So she didn't get the pump working (heck I'd never even used this particular one before myself). So, I offer to help - now feeling like a jerk for not offering right away - and I get the pump going (though it didn't at first seem like it was working - which is probably the same thing that happened to her), and there the tire is pumped up. Great all better, she's very nice, and now I'll let her put her wheel back on, and I'll be on my way so I can contemplate the irony of trying to avoid insulting someone, and then being a jerk by not being chivalrous.

But, wait, it's the back wheel, why didn't I notice that, and she's having a problem getting that on. So, I put my bike down again, now feeling doubly bad, help put it back on, try to make polite small talk, and get on my way.

I was feeling so bad about the whole thing that I forgot her name (though she worked at Qualcomm).

Anyhow, sorry Qualcomm young lady!

I was trying to do the right thing, but really ended up doing the wrong thing in this very confusing era for men (or this particular man).

Good thing I rode the Torrey hill and then looped back to work for 24 mi. instead of the short 14 mi. way which kept me tired enough (and close to bonking since I'm reducing my cal intake on account of my waste-line), that I was able to let go of all that... on the ride anyway.