Ow.

I went out to the car awhile ago, intending to drive 10 miles an hour to the Rite-Aid about 10 blocks from here, pick up cat food and soup and come home. I wasn't really paying attention when I first walked out the front door, but by the time I got over to the car, a woman's voice, cursing the chains she couldn't seem to make fit on her tires, pulled me out of my head. She looked up and asked if I had chains, which of course I didn't as it's not even my car, and said I wouldn't be able to get anywhere without them. Then she said she had been trying for almost an hour but couldn't manage to get her chains on and I said I'd help her. Over near the car were two guys, who seemed amused by the woman and her dilemma but were making an effort to help and couldn't seem to figure the chains out either. Introductions were made, though for the life of me I can't remember any of their names now, and between one of the guys and myself, we had the chains on both front tires about 10 minutes later. In that short time, my hands had gone nearly numb. Once she'd tested them out and was sure the chains were going to get her down the street, I went back inside to wash the dirt off my hands and change my shoes so I could walk to Rite-Aid because the cat still needed food. The walk was uneventful, I didn't fall down once and now I'm home eating chunky vegetable soup. Mmm...cold weather and soup. However, I can finally feel my hands now that they're not painfully cold and I must have banged the hell out of my right paw because there's a happy little bruise over the knuckle of my ring finger. Looks like something exploded in there. Damn. See what happens when I help people...