I have ARRIVED!

Well as to be expected, this hotel is nice. It is one of those biodome hotels where you never have to leave the place and parts of it are made to look like the "outdoors."  For example, I am in the Everglade section of the place and outside my room you are walking into the swamp and you can come around 6:30 and see the alligators get fed. Oh boy!

Today was an adventure all in itself. I spent most of today driving, no hikes or cool things like that. But as my friend Gina will tell you, parts of today will "crack your ass." For starters I should supply the disclaimer that I am listening to John Grisham's The Confession as part of my drive. It is about a death row murder case where the wrong man is being put to death in a rape/murder case. Keep this in mind as you read.

I went to get gas in Georgia today, innocent enough right? As I was prepaying for my tank I came to the counter in the convenience store at the same time as a younger man, maybe my age. He waved me to go first and I prepaid, I smiled and thanked him, then I went to pump the gas. Then as I was moving my car away from the pump, he was also pulling out of his spot and waved me to go first there too. I smiled and moved my car to get some Dairy Queen (I know, I know but I am on vacation!). As I went into the restaurant/store again he showed up in line behind me. First thought- this guy is a stalker/rapist. I must give him the coldest attitude possible and intimidate him with my kung fu style so he chooses an easier victim. I placed my order and once I got it I went for a quick walk through the store and around so that he would leave first and I could escape my certain doom and because I am a well seasoned traveler I also spent some time talking to the cashier about Wisconsin and how much I loved Cherry Coke so that she would remember me. All of those years of Law and Order SVU have taught me well. 

I went out to my car and saw his truck, a tan Chevy Silverado and I noted the license plate in my phone as well. As I was writing it down, I felt a little bit guilty. I mean, I am a nice person for the most part and maybe I was freaking out over nothing. I mean I did smile at him and we all know how intoxicating my smile is when paired with these hipster glasses. 

I left the station and a few cars later, so did he. As soon as I got back onto the highway there was a traffic jam. Stopped traffic for miles. I started to dance to Suit and Tie and paid attention to the stop and go flow, trying to forget this dude. I saw his truck ahead and just stayed my distance as much as possible. Well as I was dancing like a crazy person, I looked to my right and he was stopped- holding a small yellow piece of paper with his phone number and name on it up against his driver side window. I smiled again at him (this time with a flush of red in my face) and traffic started to move so I moved with it. It was then that I realized he might actually be a nice person or at least there was a chance he was not a rapist/serial killer. He had a car seat in the back bench of the truck and there were no rust holes or anything (he did have a break light out and I wish I would have gotten his number just so I could warn him about that) and I felt super guilty about automatically assuming the worst. 

So I would like to go on record and say Drew with the Silverado and possible kid- I am sorry. You are probably a normal and nice person and it probably took some smooth operating and courage to give me your digits (or as G said- he was a "bold soldier"). Under regular circumstances I might have taken it and texted you in our shared traffic jam- but I watch too much TV. Or rather, I did when I had TV and those lessons have stuck with me. I apologize for ruining what could have been our destiny meeting at a Dairy Queen. Better luck with some someone who is not assuming every man in America is a closet maniac.