Flat fixing is one of the basic skills that you have to learn very early on-Along with adjusting the dérailleurs to keep the gear changes smooth.

It is fine for those of us with a mechanical skill to say it is easy- but if you have no idea on how to do it then it can be daunting. The idea of letting the LBS watch and show how to repair the tube is not a bad idea. And I will second the Helmet lamp. Besides being useful for repairs and map reading etc.--it also acts as a back up lamp for when the main one packs up or runs out of battery.