Because I Said So...: Leaving is the Hardest Part

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Leaving is the Hardest Part

We had big plans for yesterday to celebrate Sam's Birthday. We were going to use our season passes and go to Knott's Berry Farm. Our passes include a water park and after a few days of 80 degree weather, the tide turned to going to Splash City instead. So we wanted to check their website for hours etc. Last night when we tried, it wasn't working. So I checked again this morning and saw that Splash City doesn't open until May. So we were back to the Farm. Then Sam wasn't feeling well when he woke up. Everyone tried to cajole him into a trip to Knott's Berry but he just wasn't feeling it. So, I thought that was that. But soon, I got the news that they were all fired up to go to the beach instead. Sam was feeling better and all gung-ho to go.
They managed to load the boards and beach chairs and kites into the car and change into swimsuits in 15 minutes--a new record. So we were off. Or so we thought. Suddenly Seth realized he didn'thave his phone. I won't bore you with the details but after a good 20 minute search inside the house, the garage and the car, we heard it buzzing in the glove box (jockey box if you are from Idaho or Utah) of the car. So, then, we were off. This time we made it all the way to the Subway in town all ready to pick up our picnic lunch. Then I realized I hadn't thrown my backpack --with my wallet--into the car. Being the upstanding citizen that I am, I decided to go back and fetch my backpack so I wouldn't be driving without a license. And so we could buy some lunch. So that whole double trip ate up another 45 minutes.

Back to Subway. Well, almost. Along the way we came to a beater pick-up truck with a beat-up trailer hitched to it in the middle of the turn lane we needed. A local character was standing beside the truck with a gas can which he proceeded to empty into the truck. As he puffed away on a cigarette clenched in his mouth. We've all seen the signs at the gas station, right? The ones that say

DON'T SMOKE WHILE PUMPING GAS!!!

OR YOU WILL BLOW UP THE PLACE!!!
GASOLINE AND ITS FUMES: HIGHLY FLAMMABLE!!!

DON'T SMOKE!!!

We eased around him and continued on our way without any explosions and made it back to Subway. For some reason our order caused the cashier a great deal of distress. Wrong sandwiches were rung up, wrong sandwiches were put in our bag, cups were withheld, too many cups were given, chips were counted, then re-counted. I handed her exact cash in the exact amount and she looked quite relieved--we both knew it wasn't going to be pretty if she had to deal with a credit card. We finally got out with our sandwiches and headed for the our favorite beach.

At last.