"I'll be back in a few minutes," I told my friend, Gary, as I dropped him off at Town Hall. Then I drove straight to the S&S convenience store in downtown Fort White. I grabbed my Lottery card out of the glove compartment and walked in the store. Already a line was forming, customers anxious to purchase their lotto tickets.
"What's the holdup?" I wondered, shifting my weight back and forth. "Come on, guy!" I mouthed.
"Well, I just can't find Vargas Way on Mapquest on my phone," the young man told the cashier.
"Just leave, man" I thought. "I told Gary I would be right back."
By now other customers were thumbing through the Lake City Reporter while others were picking up snacks. All seemed somewhat as irritated as I felt.
The cashier looked the man in the eye and said, "You could go to the post office right down this street and ask them how to get there."
"Yeah," the man said, "But why doesn't it show up on Mapquest?"
"Give me a break," I thought as I glanced at my watch. "Good grief!"
Then the man turned toward the fidgety customers behind him. His shirt logo read 'Bennett's Painting, Inc.'
"Do any of you know where Vargas Way is? I can't get a street name on Mapquest. I know I go north on highway 47, but I don't know where to turn. The street isn't named."
After that, the man turned back to the cashier; and all I'm thinking is, "Just get out of here so we can buy lotto tickets."
The man then said, "I know I'm supposed to go down a long road and that there is a big brick mansion at the end of the road, and it has a big swimming pool and that's the house I'm looking for."
"Just shut up," I thought. "This isn't story time." and I rolled my eyes up to the ceiling.
And then the man added, "I think it's the Mayor's house."
Suddenly, I couldn't contain myself any longer. "Nope! It's not the Mayor's house," I blurted.
The man whipped his head around and saw me standing there smiling. Then the cashier and another customer threw their heads back and laughed.
"What's funny?" the man asked.
"She's the Mayor's wife."
" Well, what are the odds of that?" the man said as he looked at me. "By the way, do you know where to turn off on highway 47? It doesn't show up on my Mapquest."
"Sorry," I answered. "If I were you I'd just drive slow and go up any road without a name."
Finally, I bought my lotto tickets and left, only to see the young man standing beside his car studing Mapquest for one last time.
"Did you have any problems?" Gary asked as I pulled up to Town Hall.
"Nope. I'll tell you about it in the car."
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