Your not a lousy mech, rubber is just a little old and perhaps a little cold ( don't know if you have a garage)
If the screw is taken out and at room-temp the rubber bushing should slide out with no trouble. Try some soap to get them to slide through.
The biggest problem now I think is the cold-temperatures.
Oops, someone could have put a little glue something in there that could be hanging you up too.