I stopped typing and squeezed my right hand. It was really starting to ache. This never-ending project of doom was getting to me. I reached over and took another sip of my amazing coffee from Coffees of Hawaii. I closed my eyes and imagined myself with my toes dug in the sand and my big flower jams on, maybe like the blue ones I’d just found at ThriftSmart. I thought about how badly my wife wanted a trip like that, when it hit me. My wife! I quickly leaned forward to check the time on my laptop. NO! Oh for crying out loud! 7:12! I was supposed to meet her at 7:30 at that swanky restaurant that our friends had bought for us on Restaurant.com.
I shut the laptop down, grabbed my coat and bolted for the door. As I sprinted down the hallway to the parking lot, I felt grateful for those five Jazzercise classes, and even regretted complaining that my wife had forced me to go since I’d forgotten her birthday.
I made it to the man van without breaking a sweat, and as I fumbled to find the right key, I admired the auto detailing I’d just gotten quite a deal on. There’s nothing like a clean and shiny minivan with custom painted flames. As I pulled out of the parking lot, my new iPhone rang. It was Lil John, which meant it was my wife Joanna, and it was now 7:20.
I let it ring, frantically trying to think of something. At the third ring, I had it! “Hi honey! Are you at the restaurant?” There was a pause, and she answered slowly, “No. I’m not, Joel. I’m at Hacienda Cerritos… waiting for you.” I slammed on the brakes at a traffic light, the one that always turns red just as I get to it. I gritted my teeth and answered, “Our four night stay… at Hacienda Cerritos… away from the kids and work… and you ate with your sister tonight because she’s headed for that corn thing with her friends tomorrow in Nebraska.” Awkward pause. “You forgot Joel. You forgot again!” That lift in her voice told me I was in serious trouble.
As the light turned green, I turned to my last resort. “I stink Joanna. I stink! I forgot. I know we were supposed to meet in the room at 7:00. For some reason, I thought tonight was our dinner. That’s tomorrow night. I’m on the way.” There was another pause, until she broke the silence. “Do you even know where Hotel Cerritos is?” I smiled knowing with that question, she wasn’t as far gone as I feared. “I do. It’s right next to where we had our hydrotherapy session. I’ll be there in a few.”
I shut the laptop down, grabbed my coat and bolted for the door. As I sprinted down the hallway to the parking lot, I felt grateful for those five Jazzercise classes, and even regretted complaining that my wife had forced me to go since I’d forgotten her birthday.
I made it to the man van without breaking a sweat, and as I fumbled to find the right key, I admired the auto detailing I’d just gotten quite a deal on. There’s nothing like a clean and shiny minivan with custom painted flames. As I pulled out of the parking lot, my new iPhone rang. It was Lil John, which meant it was my wife Joanna, and it was now 7:20.
I let it ring, frantically trying to think of something. At the third ring, I had it! “Hi honey! Are you at the restaurant?” There was a pause, and she answered slowly, “No. I’m not, Joel. I’m at Hacienda Cerritos… waiting for you.” I slammed on the brakes at a traffic light, the one that always turns red just as I get to it. I gritted my teeth and answered, “Our four night stay… at Hacienda Cerritos… away from the kids and work… and you ate with your sister tonight because she’s headed for that corn thing with her friends tomorrow in Nebraska.” Awkward pause. “You forgot Joel. You forgot again!” That lift in her voice told me I was in serious trouble.
As the light turned green, I turned to my last resort. “I stink Joanna. I stink! I forgot. I know we were supposed to meet in the room at 7:00. For some reason, I thought tonight was our dinner. That’s tomorrow night. I’m on the way.” There was another pause, until she broke the silence. “Do you even know where Hotel Cerritos is?” I smiled knowing with that question, she wasn’t as far gone as I feared. “I do. It’s right next to where we had our hydrotherapy session. I’ll be there in a few.”
And that's the Real Dealio
By Scott
I thought this was supposed to be a fictional story!?
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