2 Dollar Bill Ya'll

July 29, 2010

I actually had a $2.00 bill in my wallet, and I spent it folks. Why? Because I was going to run out of gas. This kind of sums up what life has been like here on the good old Cape. About two and a half years ago, my boyfriend gave me a $2.00 bill. He told me they were supposed to bring good luck. I don't know about luck, but it did give me .97 gallons of gas today. So maybe it was lucky.

Lately, things have been less then stellar here in Massachusetts. It truly has been one disappointment to the next. On the upside, my job has been going fairly well. Maybe a career in hospitality is my calling. Maybe I'm trying to convince myself of that so I don't sound like a 28 year old loser who skipped out on college with the hopes she would get lucky. Anyone that knows me, knows that luck, is surely not my best friend. Luck would like to bend me over and have it's way with me every night of the week if it could.

Back to today's sob story. It actually started a couple days ago. I have been having 'financial' issues and Chris' lent me a couple hundred dollars so I didn't end up going negative in my account. Awesome boyfriend shoutout. Anyways, so I really didn't have much after the fact and I if I have done this once, I have done it a bazillion times. I knew my gas tank would be thirsty soon enough and payday was only two days away...and I was hungry for a Spicy Chicken Fillet at my ole pal Wendy's joint and the hunger just wouldn't go away. I saw the $5.00 bill poking out of my purse and I knew I had to have that chicken! I pulled into the Wendy's drive through lane and looked over the menu. Then I looked at the gas needle, looking like it was far enough away from empty, I could get away with another 56 more miles before having to worry. WRONG-0. As usually, I got myself in a pickle. I knew, in the back of my head, when I was eating that delectable culinary creation, that this may happen. But, I took a risk, and once again, lost.

Today after work, I got into my car and saw that the needle was pointing to the E. It should stand for 'excellent amount of gas left to drive on' in my book. I knew that my car would not make it back 27 miles to my house. I would be on the phone with AAA, and that was not going to happen. I could just see myself standing on the side of Route 6, in the dark, with all the crazy MASSHOLES on the road and all the wildlife creatures looming in the dark shadows of the trees behind me. Nope. Not ever gonna happen. So, I pulled into Cumberland Farms and grabbed my wallet. I squeezed my eyes shut and prayed real quick that on the 1oth time of opening my wallet that day, a bill bigger then a one would magically appear. No dice. Damn. I did, however have a two dollar bill that Chris gave me when we first started dating. It was considered lucky he said. I also had two quarters jiggling in my pocket. I just sat there with this sad bit of money in my hand and didn't know if I should laugh or cry. This is so my luck, my life, at it's best. If it's going to be anyone it's going to be me.

I got out of the car and sheepishly walked into the gas station. I couldn't even make eye contact with the lady cashier, because I was too afraid of what her reaction may be when I present her with my currency from Tiny Tim. I mumbled, "two-fifty on eight please." And just so that didn't seem real weird, I followed it up with, "I'm sorry it's weird." And then to make sure THAT didn't sound even weirder, I added, " I just need to make it home." It got weird. Well, for me anyways. The lady just smiled and said, "sure, we take everything, even two-fifty" and gave me a smile and for a split second I though I saw her feel bad for me. Like, "oh this girl is poor" bad. Or maybe not. I jerkishly walked out of the store, feeling sorry for myself, pumped my gas and hoped that I would make it home. And I was only poor for another 4 hours after that, because as of midnight, my direct deposit for work went through. Gotta love that.