Maybe I Will Stay Home Today

Quite a few years ago, I made a resolution that I wouldn’t leave home if I was feeling grumpy, because no one wants to deal with a grumpy old man. So far it has worked quite well. If I am feeling a bit grouchy, I stay inside until I can rev up my engine and cross over to the sunny side of life. It happens when I have an appointment or have chores that needs done or a surprise ambushes me. Yesterday, I had to rev my engine because some paper chores and loose ends that needed tidied up, plus I needed to pick up my granddaughter after school.

I almost stayed home, when an amber alert flashed across my cell phone. A local youth was missing. The same make, model, color, and year of my recently purchased car was broadcast. I raced to the window be sure it was still in the driveway and plate numbers didn’t match. I was almost afraid to leave my house, concerned I may get stopped by the police. My car was there and there was no police interruption with my travels.

It was still too early to make the rendezvous with my granddaughter and decided to eat lunch. At the Valley Dairy in Mount Pleasant, I was waiting for my food, I noticed in the next booth two ladies. The one facing me looked slightly familiar, but there wasn’t a connection. After placing my order, I decided to make a necessary run to the restroom and to wash my hands. As I returned to my booth, I was surprised to see the woman who was sitting with her back to me was an old workmate. We started to chat and she invited me to sit with them.

We had a wonderful conversation, reminiscing and telling “war stories” from the hospital. The other gal was her cousin. I had a great time talking and eating. This chance meeting revved my happy higher and my grumpy completely disappeared.

I ducked into the dollar store next door. I was picking up my granddaughter later and needed to pick up snacks. The very first thing she asks is, “Did you get me a snack?” I always reply, “Did you say you wanted a smack?” She replies with a laugh, “No, Pappy. I said a snack.”

I bought two bags of triangle looking tortilla chips. One bag made from popped white cheddar corn and the other bag of kettle corn. Of course when we got to her house, we opened them and shared back and forth. They were fairly tasty…and for only a dollar a bag. Ha ha.