Another Friday Night Adventure

It's 0200 and I am exhausted, lol! We went to Grace's tonight for dinner. We were celebrating Debbie's graduation tomorrow. I was in charge of dessert.........typecasting! Two cakes from Cold Stone Creamery and the big round frosted brownie from Panera...........mmmmmmmm. So we have a lovely dinner, thanks Grace!

My mother is moving a little better with her broken collar bone, we had a few laughs getting her seatbelt on. As always, lot's of fun with my sisters and my goddaughter. Jen's goddaughter was at a prom, not her own, a friend's. She called from the ladies room to say she wasn't having a good time. Jen and I asked if there needed to be an "extraction", she laughed and said she'd make it.

So on the way home, Jen and stop at her work so I can get my car. I needed gas. It was late, about 2300 hours and I knew I had to stop for gas. Argghhh! Why didn't I take care of this earlier??? Oh well, at least the gas station near Jen's work has full service and I can be lazy! The gas station is hopping with the 16 to 20 set. Lot's of cars, kids buying cigs and paying for their gas have the attendent too busy to come and pump my stupid gas! I know I have a scowl on my face......I have no poker face, if I'm not happy, it's not secret, lol. I try to go up and pay for the gas and there is a girl paying for a pack of cigarettes with change. For pity's sake, count it before you get there! And she has an Akita on a leash blocking the doorway. She belated realizes that there is a line forming and she's blocking us. There is another young girl trying to get directions. I put up my $20 and move away, peeved! Then the gas pump won't start, the guy comes running out to adjust something and the young girl who was asking for directions is following and sounds very upset. He is explaining to me that he is sorry about not pumping the gas and the delay and blah, blah, blah. He is also telling the girl to go find a payphone across the street. Now the girl starts to cry, she looks about 18. I finish my gas, the attendent is hovering and telling me he can't let her use the phone or he'll lose his job. Why is he telling me? She is asking him repeatedly to use the phone for just a minute. Argghhh! Why is this little vingette playing out in front of me. I finish pumping the gas and the guy jumps to screw the cap back on. Gee! Thanks buddy!

I sigh and turn to the girl. "What's wrong?" Not nicely, but like I'm aggravated. She starts to cry. "I went in to get directions and my sister just left." Another sigh, I hand her my cell. She starts calling the sister's cell phone. The attendent explains in earnest (in his heavily accented English) that there are penalties for using the work phone. He has five kids, he can't lose this job. Yeah, ok. Anyway, the sister isn't picking up. I ask where she's going. "Massachusetts." I tell her "You're here." She says "Oxford" Huh? Where is that? Now she's got her mother on the phone. She is trying to explain what happened. After a minute. I ask the for the phone. I explain that her daughter - "What's you name, hun?" "Danielle" Ok, I explain to the mother that the sister left and is completely gone and I can't leave her in the gas station. So, what's the plan? The mother is coming from Oxford, she is getting on 295 and then on the Mass Pike. Where are we? Weymouth. The mother is baffled. On the ocean, I explain. I tell her fine, get on the pike, I'll head in your direction, we'll call each other and meet. I tell her my name and we hang up and I'm off!

Danielle can't believe I am doing this. LOL It's just another Friday night adventure! So I call Frankie and explain. He tells me I am a "good citizen", lol. He wants to know how old Danielle is and is she pretty. Turns out she is 24, but the shock of her sister driving off (which by all accounts, mother, father, the sister's husband was not at all like the sister, Michelle) has made Danielle look young and small and frail.

I call Jen and all she says is "Good Lord!" By this time, we're on 128 headed for the Pike.

Moments before we get on the Pike, and I mean 1000 feet from the tollboothes, they contact Michelle. She has actually traveled further South in the wrong direction and is in Pembroke. I ask Danielle, if she'd rather go their and get Michelle. She doesn't want to cause more trouble, but I explain, it's on my way home.

So one illegal U-Turn later, we're headed back.

I tell Danielle some of my Frankie stories and I have her laughing before long. Nothing cuts the tension like hearing about one of Frankie's adventures!

I get everyone, hooked up, talked one last time to the girls' mother. Met the father and Michelle's husband......and there it is - my good deed for 2008.

Good to have that out of the way.

Now I have to be up in FOUR HOURS, I have to get back to Boston in the morning for Deb's graduation from Simmons.

Tomorrow night, I am going to be in bed, asleep by 2100 hours!!!!