A Few of My Favorite Things...

Day 323

Today was a day of my true American-style consumerism and a few other of my favorite things. Once again it is getting very late so I will make this short. Here goes, my favorite things:

This morning I slept in. Well to be more exact I slept in until my phone rang. It was my father calling from the living room. Now, it's not like we live in some mansion. He could say my name at a reasonable volume from the living room and I would be able to hear it. Maybe he was playing hotel. Hopefully, I don't get a bill with my room charges and for all the Count Chocula I have eaten.

A friend asked me what was the thing I most look forward to doing or seeing while I am home. I told him this, "Driving down a country highway, listening and singing along to rock and roll music on the radio." Today was filled with this activity and everything was wonderful until I realized that I was driving a car with very dark tinted windows. The same car that I got pulled over in for the window tint twice in one weekend last July. I tried to practice things I would say to the potential cop and came up with, "This is my parents car and they think de-tinting the windows is ridiculous." I made it all the way home without getting pulled over, so all of my speech planning was for nothing, or was it? Guess we'll see in the next few days...

I went to the bank in the next town over and cashed a check. After that I realized that I had not had any coffee at all and it was nearly mid-afternoon. I raced over to my favorite coffee shop in the world and the guy that I have had a crush on since high school was working. And, another of my favorite things, he knew that I wanted just a dark coffee despite it having been 6 months since my last visit. He took the two largest sized cups and had me point to what I wanted. I groggily watched him get the coffee and realized that I still have a crush on him. And then I even ventured a, "I'm so glad you are here."

A few of my favorite things also happened while I was at the coffee shop:

-The coffee kicked in.
-I chatted with my bodyguard and told him exactly what I thought of him and he didn't get mad.
-Facebook photo uploader actually worked.
-And, I had a few new ideas for stuff that I am writing.

Then came the consumerism interlude of the day. I went to Target (a luxury Canada could definitely use). While there I bought 4 pairs of shoes for only 20 bucks. And a few other items for a super low price. The experience almost made me want to call off going back to grad school in Canada altogether, there is nothing like the rush you get from shoes on sale. But, I'd still find something to complain about anyhow, so I may as well go. Plus, I would start to take the Target experience for granted.

To round out the American consumer experience I went through a McDonald's drive thru. Despite the fact that I forgot to tell them I didn't want ketchup and despite the fact that the person working couldn't do a 1/2 Diet Coke and 1/2 Dr. Pepper soda for me it was delicious and went well with the rock music blasting as I went down the highway.

For supper my parents and I went to Perkins. There I discovered a secret favorite thing. My parents always act ridiculous around servers. My mother gets all meek and stupid and my father gets boisterous and cracks jokes that aren't funny. I used to be and still am embarrassed by it. But now I can appreciate and am addicted to the total what-the-hell-are-they-gonna-say-now moments of it all.

We followed supper up with a trip to Wal-mart where I oogled the low prices and even though our bill came to over 100 bucks I rejoiced in the glory of getting a cartful not just a bagful for that amount. And for the first time in my life I considered buying one of their "I (heart) U.S.A." t-shirts.

At home I got to play my mother in Rummy and not get my ass kicked. All said it was a day filled with my favorite things. And now I am spent in so many ways. Time to cuddle up with my new shoes and dream of ketchup-less cheeseburger value meals and U.S.A. apparel.

Tip of the Day: Get it.

-Canadian Castaway