....Well, another day...Another day as societies worst nightmare; living the high life here on High Street, keeping up with acquiring the proper daily resources, extras, and bonuses of this lifestyle afforded for me by wealth of the government.
Today was an abnormally busy day as far as daily societal responesibilities. Being the jolly procrastinator, the great putter-offer of things that I am, I waited until hour 69 of a 72 hour deadline, previously appointed for me by an incredibly down-to-earth representative of Thunder Bay Law Enforcement's Finest for having a busted tail light, after which followed a few other cautionary tickets for things that I could not turn over to him at that time (valid insurance and ownership) as well as having an expired sticker, to do something. Joe Somebody comes to mind (in the down days). Anyway, if I can catch up to my original thought, I had to run around all over town to get the ownership thingy, the new sticker, and the insurance, and, I must admit, lately I have become a bit of a house dweller, which I am fine with because I get out when I feel the need to and otherwise am working on little things here and there and most of them involve being right here in front of this computer or wrapped up in a blanket under the neon warmth of artificial lights, so you can imagine how irregular something like this would all seem to me. I did handle it like a pro. Still got the old societal juice I conclude confidantly. I can still weave in and out of traffic in a very law abidng and efficiently fast way. I can still deal with the public, including the authorities and I can still take pleasure in that crisp, mostly fresh, air that tickles the hairs in my nose on days like this.
Oh, I am still reeling...On with the show...the show must go on...
Anyway, I was fairing quite well on this cold societal wednesday and had accomplished all the things that I had to do.
..the woman..
At the police station I had two women, sitting behind protective glass, to pick from. I went with option 1, being the lady who sat right in front of me and seemed most disinterested. She sat there with her head in her left hand as I walked up with my three cautionary tickets, saying, as I felt very cocky to be out and about in society this day, "Hello, I have THREE surprises for you!"
Her head lifted from her hand only half way up to meet my gaze, but her eyes continued where her head had stopped until they met my own. Needless to say, perhaps not having the best of days is this lady, option 1, that I chose. Upon seeing my three surprises she simply asked if I had done all three of these things for which I was ticketed.
"Oh yeah," I replied.
Out came the CANCELLED stamp and with three uncaring, but powerful for uncaring, stamping motions I had officially laughed in society's face.
On my way into the police station I had passed a girl, roughly my age I assumed, who offered me $10 for a ride to the bank. I told her I had some things to deal with first, nodding toward the front doors of the station. Not knowing how long it would be before I was 'processed', or whether or not the girl outside would still be there waiting when I was finished up, I figured I would give her a ride if she was still out there when I was done.
Lo and behold she was still waiting in the cold after the pleasing celerity of my being 'processed'. I'm not sure if she was hoping and waiting on me, or if she had a cab coming, or had nothing whatsoever in the way of a ride. I told her I would take her where she needed to go and she would not have to pay me.
She got back in the passenger seat and threw fifteen dollars in my lap, "There!" she said.
"No, it's okay," I replied, picking up the money and handing it back to her.
"Do you have any idea how much a cab would have cost?"
I conceded, having thought it over and coming up with the fact that I had planned to do it, not for money, but for that selfish bug we have to feed from time to time...that, and I was curious, and feeling good for having just finished thumbing my nose at the outside world. Of course I would be up for a victory lap.
The two of us continued on to her house on the far side of town, stopping on the way at a corner store where I left her in the running car to pick her up some smokes.
She gave me money to pay for the Number 7 king size.
I watched her through the window of the store as the cashier was checking my ID. I wondered if she was thinking about stealing my car. I knew she wouldn't.
I gave her the change and the smokes and she, after asking permission, lit up almost immediately in my car. After a story like the one she just told me how could I deny her such a thing. She continued to thank me every few sentences, usually after spewing out more of her story. I dropped her off at her house, shyly brushing off more thank you's and then made my way for home.
Halfway home, somewhere on Cumberland, I passed the Casino and made a surprise hard right into the parking lot, barely, but perfectly, slimming past the lot barrier and into a stall closest to the door.
$15. Fifteen dollars that I did not have ten minutes ago. Essentially a free fifteen dollars. Why not, I thought. I made my proud way through the doors of the building and was created by a uniformed security gaurd who proceeded to quiz me about the information she had in her hands. And I just feel like saying, "Give it up lady. Clearly this is me. I have answered all your questions and was clearly perfect in all my replies and I know this because it is mine. Even your machine says I am who I am. Deal with it!" Of course I could never say this to a security agent as they have the ability and the pleasure of disallowing me entry. Nevertheless I got in and popped a fiver into a slot machine. Turns out I won a few bucks. About ten. Big money, I thought.
I moved on up to Blackjack, pleading my ignorance pertaining to a good understanding of the game, as I usually do, to the dealer and the nice gentleman to my left, cashed in for $20 and placed a bet of $5. I went on, slowly, but surely, steadily making my way up the cash ladder and, after splitting on two 8's and drawing a 9 and an 8 to beat the dealers hand, cashed out with $47.50 and $5 worth of tokens in my left jacket pocket. Ta-Dow!
47.50 + 5.00 - 15 = 37.50
I came out a winner. I couldn't help but smile and even chuckle a bit as I walked out those doors to that mostly fresh and cold air in the land of the Sleeping Giant.
I came out a winner. I succeeded in real life. I came home and could not wait to blog. A winning day for all concerned.
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