The Trauma Is Real

Mrs. HM did not have a good day on Wednesday. Especially considering that Tuesday was pretty darn good, with a total of $243 won on scratchers! First ticket, $100 winner. Second ticket, $77 winner. Third ticket, $30 winner. Followed by a loser or two. Then a $25, $5, and $6 winner.

Anyhoo... I've been having such good luck in Hillmomba that I can't buy the tickets I like, because I've gotten the good winners off the rolls that are still being sold. So I decided to drive over to the School-Turn Casey's. I haven't been there in a couple weeks.

Some rain started to sprinkle, but T-Hoe has one thing that still works right, and that's the windshield wipers. So not a problem, just not what I would have chosen to drive and walk in. Anyhoo... I avoided three different idiots pulling out in front of me. And arrived at Casey's at 2:40.

I swear, I cannot figure out the schedule of the local school district! Most schools let out between 2:50 and 3:10. But this one seems to vary. I drove past the high school around 2:20, and there were several cars leaving, and a couple students walking along the road. Yet other times when I drive by there at 3:00, I get in a quagmire of traffic that backs up at the lights by the Devil's Playground a mile or two away.

Anyhoo... I knew I was early enough to avoid the women with their little kids from the nearby elementary, who can clog up a Casey's line with each of them carrying their own treat and putting it on the counter. But here came three girls who looked high school age, who would have had to come from over in Hillmomba. Thank the Gummi Mary they were browsing the snacks and not getting in line. As they walked in front of me, I saw them step over A SHINY PENNY on the floor near the door!

Of course I planned on getting that penny on my way out. Too many people were coming in, and I didn't want to ample-rumpus anyone on the rain-slick floor. I got in line by walking around through the coffee and other drinks, as that store does its line. But some darn crackhead skinny guy in a wife-beater took the shortcut, which was actually a line-cut, to the next register.

I waited my turn in line, and got a pleasant guy who I've seen working there twice. He scanned my winners, got my tickets, scanned them into the register, and then said, "OH NO! MY REGISTER JUST LOCKED UP AGAIN!" So he had to pawn me off on the gal at the register who was helping the crackhead skinny guy, who was buying two Swisher Sweets skinny cigars, two mini bottles of Fireball Whiskey, and a scratcher.

When it was my turn AGAIN, she messed up on scanning in my tickets, and had to start over again, since I told her she was $5 short. So my tickets were actually rung up three times. Which delayed me, and when I started out, THAT PENNY WAS GONE!

I'm going to blame the crackhead skinny guy...