I’ll Be Right Out
Another beautiful day and you are picking up the keys to the truck and your wife asks, “Where are you going?” To get gas for the truck and mower. “Can I come along? I just need a couple of items from the store and I’ll be right out.”
Sure, and being an expert on time management you tell her you will drop her off and go get the gas. She tells you that with her bright yellow top you will be able to spot her when she exits the store. You tell her that you will try to park in the same area we usually park in.
You drop her off and head off to get gas. As you arrive at the gas station all the pumps are full. Seems like that always happens when one is in a hurry. Finally you get gassed up and head back to pick up your wife who went in to get a couple of things. You know you are in trouble for taking so long, you hit every red light and you are already making up an explanation why it took so long and that you are sorry she had to wait in the hot sun.
As you pull into the parking lot you don’t see her standing out front, but do find a parking spot almost right in front. Hallelujah! You see, everything is working out in your favor. As you sit there you cannot help but watch the people going in and out of the store. Several come out and get into cars next to you and get replaced by other cars. Some of the people you saw go in are now coming out. You see they only have small packages but still. Now the cars parked on your left and right have been replaced a couple of times, but no sign of your wife, who went in for only a couple of things. You know what happened – she got into the short line at the checkout.
You know the short line, the one with only two people in it and the others have four or five. Now as you stand in the short line but the longer line seems to be moving faster but you are still ahead in the short line. Maybe you should jump over to that line but you stay in the short line. Then there is an announcement over the P.A. system, “Manager needed in lane two.” You feel sorry for the people in lane two.
What lane are you in? Oh no lane two. You quickly look around hoping to see a manager making a mad dash towards lane two but you see no one. You look over to the long line and there are new people in line. The manager finely gets to your lane and the problem is solved. Now there is only one person in line. You hear the clerk tell the customer that will be $20.37. Now if you had gotten in the longer line to start with you would be on your way home, but you are almost out the door. You see the customer in front of you reach for their money and hand the clerk a twentydollar bill and start to give her a dollar bill but says, “I think I have the right change.” They pull out a coin purse and start to dig for the right amount. Here is a quarter and I think I have a dime. After looking and digging you hear, “I guess I don’t have a dime but here is two nickels.” The lane next to you is still moving along, now you hear, “I just need two pennies, here is one and here is another. Oh wait, here is that dime I was looking for, here is another penny.” At last, as you check out the clerk tells you to have a nice day; well it was until you got in the short line. One is sure that is why she is not out yet.
You see people that went in coming out with carts full and now you start to worry. Something might have happened to her. Did she fall or get hit by one of those mobile carts? Should you rush inside to see if you can help or should you just wait until the ambulance arrives and ride with her to the emergency room. You listen for the ambulance, you don’t hear it but you know it is on the way. Your attention is back to a truck parking next to you. A young man starts to get out then reaches into the back of his truck and pulls out a pair of crutches. You look over and there are a couple of handicap parking spaces open so you ask him why he didn’t park in the handicap space. “I’m not handicapped, I am just on crutches.” Now both you and I have seen people park in handicap parking who can move faster and better then you ever could in the last 20 years. They must have a mental problem.
As he slowly makes his way across the parking lot you still do not see a woman in a yellow top and still did not hear an ambulance. Your concern now turns to worry. Maybe she did get out fast and while waiting for you she got kidnapped. Do I need to call 911 to file a missing persons report? You need to get your facts in order when they ask for a description, She has light brown hair, no wait she was just at the hairdressers so she now has dark brown hair. Her height? not sure, up to my shoulders. Weight? No way to answer that. If you guess a few pounds over and they do find her, you will be needing the ambulance. Oh yes, she will be easy to find, she is wearing a yellow top. Your last glimmer of hope is dashed when you see the young man on crutches coming out of the store. Yes your dialing 911.
You push the 9, you push the 1, and then a beam of light seems to shine straight from heaven. You swear you can hear angels singing because a woman with a yellow top is walking out the front door. Yes, it is your wife. Your fears, worries, and concerns disappear and relief sets in, but only for a second. Now a new emotion sets in. You feel as if a stick of dynamite is in you head and the fuse is lite. When she gets into the truck you give her the look. You know the look the one you got from your parents, teachers, and spouse. You know you did something wrong but not sure what they caught you doing. She sees the look and with a beautiful smile and a gleam in her eye asks, “What?” The fuse is about to light the explosion. With a slow distinct question you ask “What took you so long?” With the same smile and gleam in her eye she says, “Well, I got to talking to someone and just lost track of time.” Quick pull the fuse and stop the explosion. There has been a time or two that you might have bent an ear or two yourself. You know that if you would say anything about talking too long she would remind you of several of your past long winded conversations. At this point there is only one thing to do, look her straight in the eye and with a smile on you face say, “Oh.”
The next time you agree to sit in your car or truck and wait for someone to run in for just a couple of things, take something to read, drink, and maybe a sandwich, for what you think is a short trip may be longer than one thinks.