Friday slice

June is the start of tourist season in this town. We get people from all over the country and many from Canada, too. Probably other places, as well, but the tourists who arrive with their cars are easily identified by their license plates.

This morning I stopped at the bank and as I was leaving the parking lot, a car came zooming up the one way drive the wrong way and careened (literally) around the corner to a side street. I happened to be exiting that way so I followed him. He had a garishly yellow Choose Life license plate on the back of his car. I had a visceral reaction and I wanted to back end him. He’d already made himself annoying before I even saw the license plate.

When we reached the exit to the side street, there was a car ahead of us, waiting for a young woman pushing a stroller to cross in front of us. That’s the law in Massachusetts. Pedestrians ALWAYS have the right of way and as soon as one puts a toe on the street pavement, you’d better stop. So, we waited as the woman pushed the stroller and dragged a little girl by the hand along with her. Little kids are not always in a hurry. They see interesting things on the ground and want to stop to investigate. Such was the case today.

Mr. Florida was in a hurry. And he was not hesitant to express his irritation at having to wait for a curious little pedestrian.

He leaned out his driver’s side window and bellowed, “Hurry the f**k up you stupid bitch.”

Just made me shake my head. Well, that and making me want to back end him more than ever, but, of course, I didn’t. Mr. Florida, take your stupid license plate and go back home. Don’t come back until you learn to respect living human beings.

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Today the lad left for a long weekend in New York City. He saved up his days off and compensatory overtime hours for a long weekend and it’s finally here. One of his best buddies from school is having his 20th birthday this weekend and there is bash planned out on Long Island where the friend lives.

Initially, the lad had hoped to leave yesterday afternoon, but his paycheck wasn’t going to be cut until today. So he had to wait for that. He had planned to go pick it up this morning, but I asked him to call to make sure the check was ready before we made a flying trip out there. He returned with a long face. The check wouldn’t be ready until 2:00 this afternoon. And that put a serious crimp in his plans. What a verrry long face.

Then I said, “Well, there is the possibility that I could put the cash you need in your checking account and you can pay me back when you get your check on Tuesday.”

We both had the same thought at the same time...why didn’t we think of that yesterday?

So that’s what we did.

I delivered him to the bus station a couple of hours ago. The bus took him to South Station in Boston and from there he will take a bus to New York. The bus line going to New York is called the Fung Wah line. It leaves Boston just about every hour on the hour and the fare is just $15.00. The passengers debark on Canal Street in New York, which is, I think, somewhere in or very near China Town. He’ll be getting in around 5:30 PM and his friend will pick him up and whisk him back to Long Island. When it’s time to come back home, he’ll take the Fung Wah back to Boston and then the local bus back here.

I didn’t know there was a Fung Wah bus line. That’s a pretty cool transportation option. His total transportation costs for his trip to New York and back is a very modest $46. You can’t beat that for convenience and cheap.

Anyway, while he is having a fantastic time in New York, I’ll be having a fantastic time luxuriating in my own home with no one running in and out the front door at all hours of the night and day. And the only person asking, “What’s for dinner?” will be ME. (very big smile)