Written for Don's Mother who loves to read the stories I write:

                                                                                                    March 12, 2015

                                                  The Drawbridge Is Up

"If you want to go with me, we have to leave now. I'm going to Wallmart."

"Whaaaaaaattttttttt?" I asked. "You're leaving right now?  I'm ready lets go."

So here it is a Thursday morning and Don is in a hurry because he doesn't like to leave his computer on a weekday between the hours of 9AM and 5PM. Now a days he manages his 401K and watches the market closely to make up for the 2008  hit. He is slowly and steadily making some strides forward. Don is a "Steady Eddie" and has more discipline than most humans when it comes to daily routine.

Out the door we go.  Don is driving, clear sailing, no traffic and this is good because Don has zero tolerance for traffic, otherwise he would still be living in Seattle. Suddenly I realize that we are on a back road, North Tropical Trail and I realized that this is not the way to Wallmart. So I ask Don: "Where are we headed?" 

He replies: " I want to get gas first and I have a gas card for $50 but it can only be used at a Shell station. The only Shell Station is on the other side of the Barge Canal on North Merritt Island."

So I reply: "Well I have a gift card for Target and that's on the way, could we stop at Target?"

and he says: "No. Why don't you enjoy that without me?"

and I say: "Just trying to be efficient. I understand you want to get back to your "work"!" 

All-righty then...and now the reason for the title of this story. In the distance not more than a quarter of a mile away.....we see it. The draw bridge is up. We see that the Bridge that connects central Merritt Island to North Merritt Island is up and we see 30 cars bumper to bumper stopped for who knows how long. Hummmmmm.....the wheels start turning in my brain, some very wise baseball player once said: "When you are presented with a fork in the road, take it."

This gave me an opportunity to present and insert an unplanned event in the middle of Don's well orchestrated time efficient plan of First-gas, Second- Wallmart and then straight home so he could watch the market. Ha!

Looking out the passenger side window, I  see that the lane on my right is empty and it leads to the belt line (the super highway that goes directly to the beaches that are 3 miles away and our favorite wide open beach area.....Jetty Park). Yup. The lane we are in is a ticket to road rage and the lane on our right is a ticket to an unplanned frolicking adventure. 

I present my idea to Don. "With a quick turn of the wheel we could be in this empty lane lane here free of traffic and catch a Shell station on Beach side and on the way drive directly into Jetty Park. We could even grab a quick bite to eat!"

He says nothing, so I continue, "Hey, Don. You know what that famous baseball player said....and we got a fork in the road here.... How about I spring for a hot dog and fries at the concession stand at Jetty Park"? There's a Shell station on beach side." 

and Don went for it. Yippppp-eeeeeeeeeeee....we were off to Jetty Park.

Once again no traffic and clear sailing into our favorite place, Jetty Park. We easily found a parking spot and as planned, went directly to the concession stand and ordered a hot dog and fries. When the single plate arrived, I asked for a cutting device so we could split the hot dog and Don said to the pretty clerk: "We don't need a knife. I'll just use a karate chop!"

What fun. We find a table and mingle with the tourists. Both Don and I love to talk to strangers. Easy to comment on a beautiful baby in the arms of her mom and the Aussie sounding gentleman from Manchester, England now living in Toronto. People are really friendly when they are on vacation. We are surrounded by tourists. People from all over the world come here for vacations and it is not more than 15 minutes from where we live. People on vacation take the time to slow down and chat.

Well, I was really hungry. Normally I wouldn't eat a hot dog smothered in mustard, chili and raw onions on a bun that's sitting on a mountain of fries smothered in ketchup but I quickly devoured half what was on the plate and savored every bite!

It's easy to laugh when Don is your companion. Nothing is serious, except, I wanted to do a five minute Karate Demonstration for the pretty cashier/cook who we got to know while our order was being prepared. The place had emptied out and I was serious.  I wanted to  do a few kata and pre-arranged fighting...a short 5 minute demo but Don said; "NO"! Actually we would have except as we passed by the concession stand on our way out, the pretty cashier/cook was on a break!

You see, Don never says no to me. Well almost never....but I would have made that karate demo happen because, he loves me big. Even though the draw bridge was up and who knows it might be even now at this moment in time. The main thing is, we are having a lovely day. Hope you are to and that when you get a fork in the road, that you just take it!