I think the Universe is sending me a message and it doesn’t seem to be a pleasant one.
Two days ago, I wrote about my frustration in living a lifetime of not being able to turn straw into gold as many people seem able to do. And to rub that fact in, a woman ahead of me in a shop lineup earlier that day bought five cents worth of garlic powder and in return, was rewarded with a slip offering her $10 off her next purchase at that store. Instantly, somehow, she turned a single nickel into 200 nickels.
If I had 200 nickels and I was wandering around the stores, I would soon be reduced to one nickel. I can’t explain it.
But what I have learned for sure is that I have to quit following the woman around whom I referred to above. Again, today, I somehow wound up standing behind her as she was paying for parking at our city’s medical centre. She owed $4 and so she inserted a five dollar bill into the machine. Immediately it spit out her change into a receptacle. She reached in to pull out what she expected would be one dollar in change and instead fished out $5 in coins. She let out the same whoop of joy hockey players yell when they score a winning goal.
This was baffling and discouraging to me and it didn’t help that she turned to share with me how pleased she was with her good fortune. Following her golden nickel strike of the day before, this was just too much to watch her celebrating shoving five dollars into a machine and getting five dollars in change in return.
Along with the many things I wish for every day, I suddenly wished I lived in a bigger town so my chances of encountering this woman, seemingly on a daily basis now, would be greatly reduced.
I guess I should be pleased that she must wear a lucky horseshoe medallion on a golden chain around her neck, but her good money management on two days in a row while ahead of me in line is just a reminder of my total lack of the same.
The last time I dealt with this same machine, I used my credit card instead of cash. I tried my best to follow all the instructions but the transaction didn’t seem to go through. So, I slipped my card in again and had better luck the second time.
Checking my credit card statement when it came in, however, I discovered that my first insertion of the card HAD WORKED. As did the second. Bottom line: I paid $8 that day for a $4 parking fee. And on this day, the woman I seem destined to stand behind in line every day now paid $0.00 for a $4 fee.
Someday, I suppose, my ship will come in and I will climb aboard. A mile out from shore, I will watch in horror as the lake begins streaming in through a big hole.
To make things better, I will hear the engine of a large yacht streaking by with a now familiar face at the controls. And that lucky woman will smile and wave as she disappears from view.
Excuse me, but I need to go lie down for a while.
©2024 Jim Hagarty
