The Kicker

You just keep reading, you
Part V

I finally had to leave a little after 4 (later than planned, but who could’ve left sooner with all the great people to see?). All along the first half of the drive I kept thinking about stopping to buy (a) French fries at a service area and (2) a bottle of Lucas Miss Behavin’ white table wine back in Ithaca. I was really craving the fries, and ready to indulge. So I stopped at Scottsville, the second service area heading east away from Buffalo.

Busy busy day on the NYS Thruway. I got my fries and a fish sandwich that I was startled Arby’s had. Heck, I even bought a Coke! A Cherry Coke, because the gift shop (and vending machines) were out of regular. Can you believe that? Is this not America? Is this not the time during which we celebrate the birth of the greatest nation OF ALL TIME with sugary, bubbly drinks? What kind of commie tarrorisst service-area manager/vendor doesn’t stock enough Coca-Cola for the WEEK-END?

I AM TELLING YOU

Anyhoo, I got back into the car with my snacky treats, turned the key in the ignition, and …. Nothing. Rrr-rrr-rr, but nothing more. Tried like five times. Sat there thinking, You are kidding me. You — have got — to be kidding me.

Called AAA. For some reason they can’t go onto the Thruway, so they sent a Thruway Guy along. I waited about 40 minutes, which wasn’t really so bad, but gave me time to think about the fact that I am always dealing with these situations alone. I had awesome people ahead in Ithaca and awesome people behind me back home, and even some in that third point of the triangle Floridaward, but I’m always alone in between.

(In particular I had, by phone, Chris and Melissa in Ithaca and Chris Prime in Orlando, but had to watch my cell battery, so when I hung/pressed up, I had only their memories to keep me company.)

Thruway Guy was really cute and very nice, and very young. Stop now, please, really. His name was Edo (Ay-doh), which seems like it should be Spanishy but he didn’t seem very Spanishy. I gave him $20 and he was all surprised and “Are you sure?!” and aw. Edo.

So I couldn’t stop again, a real treat for Driving Bladder Cree. But Melissa met me at my mechanic’s and let me run into Wegmans before taking me home.

So that made me pretty cranky, which I didn’t want to be after what was otherwise a mostly just damned great weekend of people-mooting. Kitties were all chatty and delightful upon my return, which is always the most important thing anyway. Now I come to you with this so-long post and try to figure out whether to make it one long one or several shorties. But you will not see the shorties in the right order, so I have my answer.

Actually, no. We'll see if this works.